The on-going Third Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) convened its third plenary meeting in Beijing on morning of March 9, hearing a report on the work of the NPC Standing Committee by its chairman Li Peng and explanations on a draft Law on Legislation.

Present at the meeting were top Party and state leaders including Jiang Zemin, Zhu Rongji, Li Ruihuan, Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing and Li Lanqing.

The meeting, held at the Great Hall of the People, was presided over by Buhe, an executive chairman of the annual session's presidium.

Reporting on the work of the NPC Standing Committee, Li pledged that this year the top legislative body will earnestly perform its duties enshrined in the Constitution and laws, continue to push ahead the process of building China into a socialist country ruled by law, and greet the new century with outstanding achievements.

This is the first time that a NPC Standing Committee chairman has reported on the work of the top law-making body to an annual NPC session. Such reports used to be delivered by a vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Last year, Li said, the NPC Standing Committee made new progress in its legislation and supervision work. The committee examined 31 draft laws and approved 21.

He said the top legislative body incorporated its legislation work with the government's major policy decisions involving reforms, development and stability.

Li said the work of revising laws in keeping with social and economic development was strengthened during the year. On supervision of law enforcement, he said the emphasis was placed on major issues concerning the central tasks of the state and issues that were of great concern to the people.

In the past two years, the NPC Standing Committee has integrated its supervision over and support to the government, courts and procuratorates, increased contacts with the people and accepted supervision by the people self-consciously, and strengthened its links with local people's congresses, according to the top law-maker.

Li said this year the top legislative body will make breakthroughs in and improve the quality of law-making, continue to strengthen supervision and enhance public awareness of China's socialist legal system, and further develop cooperation and exchanges with foreign parliaments and international parliamentary organizations.

The NPC Standing Committee will draft a law on supervision and revise laws on regional autonomy, marriage and corporate operations.

In explaining the draft Law on Legislation, Gu Angran said the law is aimed at standardizing legislation activities and remove contradictories in existing laws and regulations, to ensure the integrity of the legislation.

The draft defines the exclusive law-making scope of the NPC and its Standing Committee.

A total of 2,751 NPC deputies attended today's meeting, which was observed by some foreign envoys and diplomats.