Highlights of NPC Standing Committee Chairman

Wu Bangguo's Work Report

    China's top legislator Wu Bangguo delivered a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) Monday morning to the parliament's second annual session.

The second plenary meeting of the Second Session of the 11th NPC is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing,March 9, 2009.                                                             (Xinhua Photo)

   Following are the highlights of Wu's report:

OVERALL WORK OF 2008

   Over the past year, the NPC Standing Committee deliberated 15 draft laws, passed nine of them, heard and deliberated 13 work reports from the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, adopted three resolutions, investigated compliance with five laws, approved 13 treaties and accords China concluded with foreign countries and its accession to seven international conventions, and made decisions on and approved the appointment and removal of a number of employees in state organs, thus making further contributions to socialist economic, political, cultural and social development.

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF AND POST-QUAKE RECONSTRUCTION

-- The NPC Standing Committee acted promptly, strengthened oversight and legislation, fully supported earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in the quake zone after the May 12 earthquake last year, and made full use of the political advantages of the socialist system which enables it to concentrate resources to accomplish large undertakings.

PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

-- The NPC Standing Committee focused on major problems in economic and social development, employed a full range of over sight means, strengthened follow-up oversight, made improvements in its work, and improved the legal framework, thereby making the work of the NPC more thorough and dynamic.

RESOLVING PROBLEMS AFFECTING PEOPLE'S WELLBEING

-- In response to the serious problems revealed by the defective Sanlu milk powder and other major food safety scandals, the Standing Committee revised the draft Law on Food Safety based on in-depth investigations and studies and a wide range of opinions.

-- The NPC Standing Committee carried out another investigation of compliance with the revised versions of the Law on Compulsory Education, the Law on the Protection of Minors and the recently promulgated Law on Labor Contracts.

-- The NPC Standing Committee made big changes to the draft Social Security Law on the basis of initial deliberation by the last Standing Committee.

LEGISLATION

   There are 231 laws currently in force in China.

-- The NPC Standing Committee enacted the Law on State-Owned Assets in Enterprises, the Law on Food Safety, the seventh amendment to the Criminal Law, and the Law to Promote a Circular Economy and revised the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters, the Law on Security for Disabled Persons, the Fire Protection Law, the Insurance Law and the Patent Law.

-- The Chairperson's Council decided that in principle, all draft laws under deliberation by the Standing Committee should be released to the public on www.npc.gov.cn, that major bills should also be published by major national media organizations to solicit opinions from the general public, and that this should become common practice.