China's top legislature starts standing committee session

BEIJING -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, started its 31st session Tuesday in Beijing.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the session's first plenary meeting.

Lawmakers reviewed draft laws on family education promotion and land borders. They also reviewed a draft amendment to the Audit Law.

In reports submitted to the session, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee said the three drafts are mature enough and suggested them be passed at the session.

The NPC Constitution and Law Committee also submitted to the session draft laws on wetlands protection and futures. Both of the drafts returned to the legislature for a second reading.

Lawmakers deliberated for the first time a draft law on anti-telecom fraud, a draft amendment to the Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments, draft revisions to the Animal Husbandry Law and the Law on Physical Culture and Sports, a draft amendment to the Anti-monopoly Law, a draft revision to the Law on Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products, and a draft amendment to the Civil Procedure Law.

The session reviewed a draft decision on authorizing the State Council to temporarily adjust the application of certain provisions of the Metrology Law in the pilot cities of business environment innovation, and a draft decision to temporarily adjust the application of relevant statutory provisions during the reform of the national defense mobilization system.

Lawmakers also deliberated legislative proposals on ratifying an extradition treaty between China and Chile and ratifying the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled, among other bills.