Chinese enterprises and public entities that develop and manufacture products for national defense should receive subsidies and preferential treatment, a draft law on national defense mobilization says.

The draft was tabled for its third reading at the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee's bimonthly session that started Wednesday.

The NPC Law Committee says the draft is ready to put to the vote at the three-day session after a final revision.

The draft says the country should "build a national defense mobilization network in line with the needs of national security, economic and social development and emergency response."

It sets out the principles and organizational mechanisms for national defense mobilization, personnel and strategic material storage and the prevention and relief of war-related disasters.

"The NPC Standing Committee will [declare] a national or regional mobilization in line with the Constitution and law if state sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity or security is threatened," it says.

Drafting of the law started in September 2000.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2010)