China's top legislature convenes bi-monthly session

China's top legislature convened its bi-monthly session in Beijing on Monday April 24, 2017. [Photo: npc.gov.cn]

China's top legislature convened its bi-monthly session on Monday, with legislators scheduled to consider several draft laws, amendments and reports.

Legislators continued to review the draft amendment to the surveying and mapping law, the draft amendment to the securities law, and the draft law on nuclear safety during the session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, which runs until Thursday.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the opening meeting.

Lawmakers considered revisions to the surveying and mapping law to protect geographic information security and raise public awareness of national territory.

The revisions deal with the use of safe, reliable technology and equipment, managing navigation and positioning reference stations and supervision of Internet mapping services.

According to the draft law, Internet map providers should use maps that are authorized in accordance with the law and protect the integrity of mapping data.

The amendments also suggest including raising awareness of national territory as part of the curricula of middle and primary schools.

Violators could face fines up to 1 million yuan (over 145,000 U.S. dollars) or have their business licenses revoked, and could face criminal charges. Foreign offenders could be deported.

The draft revision to the Standardization Law, the first since the law came into force in 1989, was given a first reading at the session.

The draft expands the scope of standards to cover sectors including agriculture, industry, services and social programs. Current standards only cover industrial products, construction and environmental protection.

The draft focuses on the technical requirements of health and safety, national and ecological security, as well as the basic need to manage society and the economy.

Reviewing the draft law on nuclear safety is also on the agenda. "Nuclear facility operators must take full responsibility for safety, "according to the draft law.

The "full responsibility" is an update from the previous "major responsibilities."

It requires operators to monitor and report the types and density of radioactive elements in their area to environmental authorities regularly.

According to a draft amendment of the Securities Law, China is expected to improve stock market supervision with stricter measures, better information disclosure and strengthened investor protection.

In addition, as the tenure of current lawmakers expires in March 2018, and new lawmakers will be elected, lawmakers reviewed draft plans on a quota for regions and ethnic groups.

No more than 3,000 deputies should be elected to the 13th NPC, with 36 from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and 12 from the Macao Special Administrative Region. Deputies from minority groups will account for 12 percent of the total.

According to the plans, 13 deputies will be initially elected from Taiwan, based on votes from a 122-strong group consisting of Taiwanese compatriots in provincial-level regions as well as central government departments and the People's Liberation Army.

Other bills, reports and documents were also deliberated at the bimonthly session, including a border defense cooperation agreement among member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and a report on advancing supply-side structural reform.

The session will also review a number of official appointments and dismissals.