国内英语新闻:China's top legislature closes session, adopts national defense mobilization law

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, concluded its three-day session Friday, after approving the National Defense Mobilization Law and an amendment to the Copyright Law.

President Hu Jintao signed decrees to publish the new Law and the amendment to the Copyright Law, which will take effect on July 1 and April 1 respectively.

The concluding meeting was presided over by Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

The National Defense Mobilization Law "is significant for enhancing the country's national defense building, strengthening mobilization ability for national defense, as well as for safeguarding national security and ensuring economic and social development," Wu said.

The top legislator warned of the "pressing task" of ensuring food safety, and called for improving the country's food safety supervision network.

Final preparations were made during the bimonthly session for the upcoming 11th NPC annual session.

The session was a very important meeting for expressing ideas about how the country could further develop, Wu said.

He urged all the NPC Standing Committee members to listen to the opinions of NPC deputies who would attend the annual session, and fully respect their democratic rights.

The Standing Committee approved the draft agenda of the upcoming annual session and a work report by the 11th NPC Standing Committee which is to be delivered by Wu at the session.

The top legislature Friday appointed Wu Shuangzhan, Peng Xiaofeng, Liu Yongzhi, Liu Zhenwu, Ge Zhenfeng, and Fu Tinggui as vice chairpersons of six special committees under the NPC respectively.

The Credentials Committee of the NPC Standing Committee examined the qualification of deputies to the 11th NPC. The total number now stands at 2,981, Wu said.

The standing committee confirmed Friday the qualification of five senior officials including Sun Zhengcai, Wang Rulin, Sun Chunlan, Padma Choling, and Luo Huining as newly-elected deputies to the 11th NPC.

They were elected in Jilin and Fujian provinces, Tibet Autonomous Region, and Qinghai Province.

Members of the NPC Standing Committee also agreed to expel Chen Shi, former county head in Wuchuan county in southwest China's Guizhou Province, from the national legislature for his suspected violations of law and discipline.

The top legislature also ratified a bilateral consular agreement with the Philippines.

Wu Bangguo also presided over a special lecture Friday afternoon to help members of the NPC Standing Committee better understand the importance of technology innovation in supporting the country's sustainable development.