China's top legislature starts standing committee session

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Thursday started a session to review a draft law on administrative discipline for government employees, and a draft law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, among other documents.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the first plenary meeting of the committee's 19th session on Thursday morning. The session will run until June 20.

The draft law on administrative discipline for government employees was submitted to the session for its third reading. The latest draft, among others, establishes a mechanism to correct wrong decisions on administrative discipline.

Also on the lawmakers' table was a draft revision to the Law on the People's Armed Police Force, which was submitted for a second reading.

The lawmakers also began to review the second draft revision to the Archives Law, which further pushes for opening and using archives, strengthens the archives' digitalization, and ensures information security.

The NPC Constitution and Law Committee considered the above three drafts as ready, and proposed their adoption at the session.

A draft law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China was submitted to the session for deliberation.

The move was to implement the spirit and requirements of the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security, which was adopted at the third session of the 13th NPC in May.

Entrusted by the Council of Chairpersons, Shen Chunyao, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, briefed lawmakers on the draft.

Other new legislative bills presented to the session included draft laws on promoting rural vitalization, and support for veterans.

Lawmakers are also deliberating a proposal on joining the Arms Trade Treaty.

Other documents for review at the session included a report on the central government's 2019 final accounts, an audit report on the execution of the central government's 2019 budget, and other fiscal revenue and expenditure, as well as a report on the examination results of the draft 2019 final accounts.

The report on final accounts highlights five areas as the next step, including stabilizing and expanding employment, ensuring and improving people's livelihoods, and supporting the development of market entities against challenges.

The audit report raises suggestions on advancing fiscal and financial system reforms, and further enforcing a proactive fiscal policy, among others.

Personnel matters will also be discussed at the session.