国内英语新闻:Top legislature starts bimonthly session

BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature started a bimonthly session on Sunday, with legislators scheduled to review multiple draft laws and revisions.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the opening meeting.

A number of new draft laws and revisions were submitted for their first review, including the draft laws on foreign investment and vaccine management, as well as draft revisions to the patent law and the land administration law.

The draft foreign investment law has adopted the model of pre-establishment national treatment with a negative list and strengthened protection of the property rights of companies with foreign investments.

It has also outlined the principles of security reviews on foreign investment.

On vaccine management, the draft law lays out a stricter access system for vaccine production than for ordinary drug production.

At the meeting, a number of drafts had been submitted for a second reading.

The second draft revision to the civil servant law adds regulations on the bi-directional adjustment (both promotion and demotion) of civil servants' positions and ranks.

The draft also elaborates on punishments for misconduct.

Draft revisions to laws on judges and prosecutors were also given a second reading. These draft revisions highlight the protection of rights and interests of judges and prosecutors.

Two sections of the draft civil law, namely provisions on contract and torts, were submitted for a second reading after two months of public consultation.

During Sunday's session, lawmakers were also presented with a draft decision to hold the next annual meeting of the NPC and several reports on reform projects.