China's top legislature concludes standing committee session

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the 17th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Wednesday adopted a revised law on the prevention and control of environmental pollution by solid waste.

President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order to promulgate the law.

The 17th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), which concluded on Wednesday, also adopted a decision to appoint Tang Yijun as the justice minister, replacing Fu Zhenghua, and appoint Huang Runqiu as the minister of ecology and environment, replacing Li Ganjie.

Xi signed another presidential order to appoint and remove the ministers based on the decision.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting, which was attended by 123 committee members in person and 46 others via video link.

At the meeting, Li asked the lawmakers to earnestly study the instructions of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on strengthening legal safeguards for public health and fully implement the instructions in the legislative work.

He asked the lawmakers to fully grasp the importance and urgency of strengthening legal safeguards for public health and push for high-quality and effective legislative work to prevent and defuse major public health risks and protect people's life and health.

The lawmakers passed a decision to authorize the State Council to temporarily adjust relevant laws and regulations in the Hainan pilot free trade zone.

They approved a decision on opening the third session of the 13th NPC on May 22.

They ratified a treaty on the transfer of sentenced persons between China and Pakistan.

The lawmakers also adopted other items on the session's agenda, including deputies' qualifications and personnel appointments.

After the meeting, Li Zhanshu presided over a lecture.