Presidium elected, agenda set for China's annual legislative session

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a preparatory meeting for the fourth session of the 13th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, on Thursday elected the presidium and set the agenda for the fourth session of the 13th NPC.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the preparatory meeting for the session.

All the preparations for the annual session are completed, Li said, calling for efforts to ensure a good start for China's economic and social development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

A 174-member presidium was elected, with Wang Chen as the secretary-general of the NPC session.

The meeting also adopted the agenda of the session:

-- Deliberate the report on the work of the government;

-- Review the draft outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for national economic and social development and the long-range objectives through the year 2035;

-- Review the report on the implementation of the 2020 plan and on the 2021 draft plan for national economic and social development, and the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2021;

-- Review the report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2020 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2021, and the draft central and local budgets for 2021;

-- Deliberate the draft amendment to the Organic Law of the NPC;

-- Deliberate the draft amendment to the Rules of Procedure for the NPC;

-- Deliberate a draft NPC decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;

-- Deliberate the work report of the NPC Standing Committee;

-- Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People's Court;

-- Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The presidium of the session met shortly after the preparatory meeting was closed. Attendees to the presidium meeting decided on the schedule of the NPC session, among other matters. The NPC will be in session for seven days this year from March 5 to 11.

Prior to the preparatory meeting, the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee met for the meeting's preparation.