国内英语新闻:China's legislature ends bimonthly session, adopting revision to Law on Water and Soil Conse

BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Saturday ended its six-day bimonthly session, adopting a revision to the country's Law on Water and Soil Conservation in a bid to better protect the nation's environment.

The new law has been expected to help reverse China's serious water and soil losses, which are regarded by the Minister of Water Resources as the country's top environmental problem.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said at the end of the meeting that the revised law on water and soil conservation would be of great significance to improve the country's capacity in disaster-prevention and improve environmental conditions.

Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the closing meeting of the 18th session of the 11th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 25, 2010.

Also, in Wu's speech delivered at the meeting, he said China has increased its support for areas inhabited by ethnic minorities this year and is striving to alleviate rural poverty in those regions.

During the bimonthly meeting, members of the NPC's Standing Committee examined the government's report on medical care system reform.

Lawmakers at the session also adopted the decision to hold the Fourth Session of the 11th National People's Congress on March 5 next year.

On Saturday, the top legislature approved the Cabinet's nomination of Miao Wei as the new minister of industry and information technology and made several other appointments.

Miao, 55, replaced Li Yizhong, 65.

Chinese President Hu Jintao signed presidential decrees to enact the revised law and the appointments.