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 26th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, concluded its 26th session Sunday in Beijing.

At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a decision to remove E Jingping from the post of the minister of water resources and appoint Li Guoying as the new minister.

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

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting.

Lawmakers approved in principle the work report of the NPC Standing Committee and entrusted Li Zhanshu to deliver the report to the fourth annual session of the 13th NPC on behalf of the NPC Standing Committee.

A report on deputy qualifications was passed at the meeting.

Lawmakers voted to appoint new vice chairpersons of three NPC special committees and appoint two deputy directors of the National Supervisory Commission.

They also voted on personnel bills.

The meeting approved the draft agenda for the NPC annual session to be held from March 5 and the draft name list of the session's presidium and secretary-general, and decided to submit the drafts to the preparatory meeting of NPC session for deliberation.

A name list of members invited to sit in on the NPC session as non-voting participants was also passed at the meeting.

Addressing the closing meeting after the vote, Li Zhanshu stressed the importance of the NPC annual session and called for all-out efforts in effectively preparing for the session to ensure a successful event.

Li also chaired a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee before the closing meeting and presided over a lecture for lawmakers after the meeting.