国内英语新闻:China's legislature starts bimonthly session

BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature began its bimonthly session Monday, discussing bills including Vice President Xi Jinping's appointment as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China.

According to the bill, Xi was nominated by President Hu Jintao, also CMC chairman.

Xi, Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was previously appointed vice-chairman of the CMC of the CPC at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee that ended on Oct. 18.

Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the 17th session of the Standing Committee of the 11th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 25, 2010.

At Monday's session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, lawmakers reviewed the draft law on vehicle and vessel taxation for the first time, which sets out provisions for reducing taxes on energy-saving and clean energy-powered vehicles while imposing more taxes on cars with big engines.

The law is expected to improve and standardize the taxation system, following the principles of being fair, eco-friendly and saving energy.

China, having a total of 199 million vehicles, currently only has a regulation on vehicle and vessel tax, that took effect in 2007.

In addition, at the session lawmakers began its fourth reading of a draft law on social insurance that aims to prevent the improper use of social security funds.

The draft law stipulates that social security funds may neither be used to cover government budget deficits, build or renovate government offices, nor pay government agencies' day-to-day expenditures.