Roundup: Top legislature concludes bi-monthly session, adopts law on overseas NGOs

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, on Thursday concluded a four-day bi-monthly session with the adoption of a new law that will regulate overseas NGOs.

Overseas NGOs must secure approval from Chinese authorities before they can operate on the mainland, according to the law, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2017.

The legal operation of overseas NGOs on the mainland is protected and governments at all levels will be obligated to provide them with the necessary assistance and services, according to the law.

The legal rights and interests of overseas NGOs in China will be regulated, helping to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation, and boost the development of the charity sector, Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, told the closing session.

The law will effectively prevent and fight illegal activities and protect China's national security, as well as its national and public interests, Zhang added, calling for the efficient and effective implementation of the new law.

A decision to promote education on the rule of law over next five years was adopted at the bi-monthly session.

Zhang said improved law-related education will advance the rule of law and create a favorable legal environment for economic and social development in the 2016-2020 period.

During the session, the top legislature reviewed a State Council report on the country's environmental performance in 2015, the first such review conducted under the revised Environmental Protection Law.

The law, which took effect in early 2015, ordered governments of county-level and above to report annually on the environment.

The review will become a recurrent practice, Zhang said, urging the State Council, all regions and agencies to enforce environment laws and intensify environmental protection.

Governments of county-level and above should have their environmental performance reviewed by legislatures and the people, Zhang said.

This year the NPC Standing Committee will proceed with legislation, exercise its power of supervision to promote the implementation of major decisions and plans of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, maximize the role of NPC deputies, and improve the work of local legislatures, Zhang promised.

The NPC Standing Committee also ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty on reducing harmful mercury emissions, at the session.

The treaty was signed in Kumamoto, Japan, by the then chief engineer of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Wan Bentai, on behalf of China, on Oct. 10, 2013.

The NPC Standing Committee removed Wang Zhengwei, an ethnic Hui, from the post of minister in charge of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and appointed Bateer, an ethnic Mongolian, to the post.

It appointed Zhao Zhengyong as deputy head of the NPC Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee, and Guo Gengmao as deputy head of the NPC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

The resignation of four NPC deputies, including Wang Min, Zhu Wei, Chen Xuefeng and Xing Weizhi, was announced at the session. There are currently 2,939 NPC deputies.

The chairman and vice chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee met before the bi-monthly meeting's closing session. Endi