In the coming week, China will continue the process of improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and an opportunity will come to reassert the international community's continued support to help Syrians who still suffer from the conflict.

The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will convene its 27th session from March 29 to 30 in Beijing to review the draft amendments to the Annex I: Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the HKSAR and Annex II: Method for the Formation of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR and Its Voting Procedures, to the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

A decision on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR was adopted by China's top legislature NPC at the recently closed Two Sessions.

Read more:

Improving Hong Kong's electoral system: What's at stake?

According to the explanatory speech of Wang Chen, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, the revisions to be made in improving the electoral system may be limited to Annex I and Annex II, without revising its main body of the Basic Law, to maintain continuity and stability of relevant systems of the HKSAR.

The decision is another major step taken by the central government to improve the HKSAR's legal and political systems since the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR was adopted in June 2020.

The European Union and United Nations will host the fifth Brussels Conference on "Supporting the future of Syria and the region" on Monday to Tuesday in a virtual format as ten years have passed after Syria's brutal civil war.

Read more：

10 years of war: How did Syria get here

According to the agenda, the Day of Dialogue pursuing talks between civil society, refugee-hosting countries, the EU, the UN and the Ministerial Conference will be held separately during the two days.

Over 585,000 people have died in the conflict and more than half of Syria's pre-war population remains displaced – 6.2 million within the country and 6.7 million refugees abroad. More than 80 percent of the country's total population now live in poverty. 

Day by day:

Monday: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi continues his visits to the Gulf region; The Standing Committee of the 13th NPC, China's top legislature, convenes its 27th session; The fifth Brussels Conference on "Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region" opens in a virtual format.

Tuesday: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban travels to Uzbekistan to meet President Shavkat Mirziyoyev; The 25th ASEAN Finance Ministers' Meeting is held via video conference.

Wednesday: Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Egypt; The Republic of the Congo's presidential election is held.

Thursday & Friday & Saturday: Quiet days in politics.

Sunday: Parliamentary elections in Bulgaria.