The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, commenced its seventh session on Monday in Beijing to review multiple draft laws and law revisions.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the session's first plenary meeting.

Lawmakers reviewed a draft revision to the Organic Law of the State Council. The NPC Constitution and Law Committee suggested that, following deliberations in the current session, the NPC Standing Committee should decide to submit the draft to the second session of the 14th NPC for further review.

Lawmakers also deliberated on a draft revision to the Company Law, a draft amendment to the Charity Law, a draft food security law, a draft amendment to the Criminal Law, a draft emergency response management law, and a draft law on rural collective economic organizations. Additionally, they considered a draft amendment to the Law on Supervision by the Standing Committees of the People's Congresses at All Levels, a draft revision to the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, and a draft revision to the Mineral Resources Law.

The session also reviewed a draft decision on improving and strengthening the system of recording and review, a draft decision on authorizing the Macao Special Administrative Region to exercise jurisdiction over relevant land and sea areas southeast of the Gongbei Port in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, and a draft decision on convening the second session of the 14th NPC.

Lawmakers further deliberated on an extradition treaty between China and Botswana, a treaty on judicial assistance in criminal affairs between China and Senegal, and other reports and bills.

Enhancing early warning for emergencies

Chinese lawmakers are deliberating a draft law aimed at establishing and improving a national emergency early-warning release platform.

The draft law on emergency response and management was submitted to the ongoing session for its second reading.

According to the draft, the issuance of a warning should include details such as the warning's type, class, content, starting time, potential scope of impacts, response measures, as well as the entity releasing the warning and the time of issuance.

Broadcasters, television stations, the press, internet service providers and telecom operators should establish expedited channels for disseminating early-warning information in accordance with relevant national regulations, the draft stated.

Special personnel should be designated to assume the responsibility of receiving and communicating early-warning information at public venues and other crowded areas, according to the draft.

Regarding emergencies involving two or more administrative regions, the draft specifies that the people's governments superior to the respective administrative regions shall assume responsibility for addressing such emergencies.

The draft also introduces provisions aimed at encouraging and supporting social sectors to participate in emergency response efforts in areas such as transportation and risk insurance for huge disasters.

Amendment to 'reasonably' utilize mineral resources

A draft revision to the Mineral Resources Law resources was submitted to the ongoing session in a bid to "reasonably" develop and utilize minerals.

The discussed new version of the law, which comprises 76 articles in 8 chapters, would revise the current legislation, which has been effective for over 30 years, in a comparatively comprehensive manner.

The bill stipulates to strengthen the exploration and development of mineral resources, establish a reserve and emergency response system, promote the reasonable development and utilization of mineral resources, ensure China's mineral resources security, and boost the high-quality development of the mining industry.

In a newly added chapter, the draft requires the state to establish a reserve system for mineral resources of strategic significance, and outlines measures in response to emergencies regarding mineral resources. The amendment also accentuates ecological restoration in mining areas.

Ensuring income of grain growers

A draft law on strengthening food security, with a focus on refining the mechanism for ensuring the income of grain growers, was also tabled before Chinese lawmakers for the third reading on Monday.

The latest version of the draft, comprising 74 articles in 11 chapters, outlines measures to boost agricultural efficiency and increase the income of grain growers. Additional provisions aimed at raising the level of social services provided to them are also included in the draft.

The state should implement a compensation system for farmland occupation and strictly restrict all types of farmland occupation, according to the draft.

The draft also adds provisions for building a diversified food supply system to meet people's demand for rich, diverse and nutritious food. It also requires promoting the use of advanced technology and equipment, as well as improving the ability to provide sci-tech support to the food industry.

Highlighting food quality, the draft stipulates that food processing operators should implement relevant national standards, take full responsibility for the quality and security of the food they process, and accept supervision.

(With input from Xinhua)