BEIJING – China’s top national legislative body has slated a four-day standing committee session for late April, with a packed agenda that includes advancing long-gestating legislative drafts and launching first reviews of multiple proposed law revisions, according to official announcements. The upcoming session, set to run April 27 to 30 in Beijing, was formally scheduled during the 65th meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, held April 20 at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. The gathering was chaired by Zhao Leji, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.
Per the finalized draft agenda approved at Monday’s chairpersons’ council meeting, the upcoming session will mark the first legislative review of revised drafts for four major laws: the Law on State-Owned Assets of Enterprises, the Agriculture Law, the National Defense Mobilization Law, and the Water Law. This round of initial deliberation opens the door for public feedback and further refinement before the drafts move to subsequent voting stages.
In addition to the new reviews, sitting committee members will continue the deliberation process for three other high-priority draft pieces of legislation: a new law on social assistance, a foundational law on national healthcare security, and a targeted law on farmland protection and quality improvement. All three drafts have already gone through an initial round of review and have been amended based on earlier feedback from lawmakers and stakeholder groups.
Beyond legislative work, the session will also include a series of oversight and procedural business items. Lawmakers will review official reports covering three core areas: national environmental protection efforts, the management of state-owned assets, and the verification of new and outgoing lawmakers’ qualifications. The body will also consider formal proposals for personnel appointments and removals within relevant state institutions.
Monday’s organizational meeting also approved the NPC Standing Committee’s core work priorities for 2026, laying out clear guiding plans for the body’s upcoming legislative drafting, statutory oversight, and engagement with NPC deputies across the country. The framework sets the tone for the legislative body’s work through the rest of the year, aligning its agenda with national development priorities and public policy needs.