Roundup: Top legislature concludes bi-monthly session

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, concluded a six-day bi-monthly session on Saturday.

The closing meeting was presided over by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

The legislature adopted the first law governing the country's asset appraisal industry since it emerged three decades ago. The law will take effect on Dec. 1, 2016.

The new law allows certified appraisers who have passed national exams, as well as those who have expertise and hands-on experience in asset evaluation, to practice asset appraisal.

The law provides that appraisal agencies should supervise and take responsibility for the professional conduct of their practitioners.

The legislature adopted a revised law on wild animal protection, which outlaws production and purchase of food made from state protected wild animals.

It also strengthens regulation of the use of wild animals and products derived from them.

Amendments to six laws were also adopted by the top legislature in a bid to ease administrative approval for enterprises.

The six laws include those on energy conservation, water, flood prevention, occupational disease prevention and treatment, environmental impact assessment and navigation routes.

National lawmakers ratified an amendment to Annex A to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which lists the chemical hexabromocyclododecane in the annex.

The amendment prohibits the production, use, import and export of the chemical, except for specific exemptions.

The State Council report on the final accounts for 2015 was also adopted by the top legislature.

Reports on nature reserves, pilot program for jurors and supervision over state-owned assets were reviewed by lawmakers during the session.

Lawmakers reviewed a report on the law enforcement inspection of revised food safety law, calling for enhanced supervision in food industry, and building high standards for food safety.

During the session, lawmakers also reviewed the draft amendment of law on Red Cross Society, calling for enhanced supervision; the draft Cybersecurity Law which has a new article stating that the State must monitor and deal with threats from abroad to protect the information infrastructure from attack, intrusion, disturbance or damage.

The legislature adopted a report on the qualification of some NPC deputies.

The session saw the first reading of the draft general rules of the civil code, marking that China formally initiated the legislative process of the civil code.

Zhang Dejiang said compilation of the civil code is a major legislation that can improve the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics, calling for democratic and open spirit and reflecting rule of law in civil code.

He said although food safety situation has been improved, risks and weak links still exist, urging full implementation of the revised food safety law.

The asset appraisal law will contribute to the sound development of the industry, as it defines the rights, obligations and legal liabilities of involved parties, regulates appraisal activities, and improves the administration system of the industry, Zhang said.

The amended law on wild animal protection will play an important role in protecting biodiversity and ecological equilibrium, as well as coordinating the development of mankind and nature, Zhang noted.

The top legislature appointed Chen Baosheng as education minister to replace Yuan Guiren.

Qiang Wei, Luo Zhijun and Wang Rulin were appointed deputy heads of NPC's Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee, Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, respectively. Endi