China's annual parliamentary session in countdown

The last batch of about 3,000 national legislators arrived in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Wednesday for the annual parliamentary session set to convene on Saturday.

Preparations for the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) have been fulfilled, the session's press center confirmed earlier in the day.

During this year's two-week meeting, lawmakers will review a draft of the 13th five-year development plan (2016-2020).

A draft law on charity is to be read for the third time by the legislators at the session. The bill has already gone through two readings at the NPC Standing Committee's bi-monthly sessions.

Lawmakers will, both in plenary meetings and gatherings within their own delegations, also deliberate reports on the work of the government, of the NPC Standing Committee, of the judicial and prosecution authorities, and on the government's budget and the country's economic and social development plan for 2016.

The annual session has carried on a frugal style since 2013. Session organizers encourage the NPC deputies to take digital versions of documents. Endit