The 51st Council Chairpersons’ Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress Standing Committee was held on the morning of October 15 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The meeting decided that the 18th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee will convene from October 24 to 28 in Beijing.
The Chairpersons’ Meeting proposed that the 18th NPC Standing Committee session will review draft revisions to the Maritime Code, amendments to the Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees, draft revisions to the Organic Law of Urban Residents’ Committees, amendments to the Cybersecurity Law, amendments to the Environmental Protection Tax Law, the draft chapter on pollution prevention and control in the ecological environment code, and the draft chapter on legal liability and supplementary provisions in the ecological environment code. The session will also review the proposal from the NPC Supervision and Judicial Affairs Committee regarding the draft Procuratorial Public Interest Litigation Law, the State Council’s proposal for the draft Farmland Protection and Quality Improvement Law, and the State Council’s proposals for approving several international agreements including the “Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” amendments to Annexes A and B of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the “Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Zimbabwe,” and the “Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.”
Additional proposed agenda items for the 18th Standing Committee session include: reviewing State Council reports on financial work, the 2024 comprehensive report on state-owned asset management, the 2024 special report on enterprise state-owned asset management (excluding financial enterprises), and the report on criminal punishment enforcement work; reviewing the Supreme People’s Court’s report on maritime adjudication work; reviewing the Supreme People’s Procuratorate’s report on procuratorial supervision of criminal punishment enforcement; reviewing the NPC Standing Committee’s law enforcement inspection reports on the implementation of the Food Safety Law and the Forest Law; reviewing reports from various NPC special committees on the examination results of proposals submitted by delegates at the third session of the 14th NPC; reviewing the report from the NPC Standing Committee’s Credentials Committee on the qualifications of individual delegates; and reviewing relevant appointment and removal cases.
During the Chairpersons’ Meeting, reports were presented regarding the draft agenda and schedule for the 18th Standing Committee session, along with reports on relevant topics.
Multiple vice chairpersons attended the meeting.
Great Hall of the People
The Great Hall of the People is a state building located on the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Completed in 1959, it was built in just ten months as one of the “Ten Great Buildings” constructed for the 10th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. It serves as the meeting place for the National People’s Congress and hosts other major political and diplomatic events.
National People’s Congress
The National People’s Congress (NPC) is China’s supreme state authority and the highest organ of state power, established under the country’s Constitution. First convened in 1954, it functions as a unicameral legislature responsible for enacting laws, approving budgets, and appointing key state officials. The NPC typically meets annually in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People to deliberate on major national issues.
Maritime Code
The Maritime Code, also known as maritime law or admiralty law, is not a single place but a body of laws, conventions, and treaties that govern nautical issues and private maritime disputes. Its history is ancient, with early examples like the Rhodian Sea Law, but it was significantly unified in the modern era through international agreements like the SOLAS Convention to ensure safety and standardize practices for global shipping.
Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees
The Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees is a Chinese law established in 1987 that formally created the system of villagers’ committees. This legislation was a key part of rural political reform, establishing these committees as the primary form of grassroots self-governance in the Chinese countryside.
Organic Law of Urban Residents’ Committees
The Organic Law of Urban Residents’ Committees is a Chinese law establishing residents’ committees as the official grassroots self-governing organizations in urban areas. First adopted in 1989, it was designed to extend state administration to the neighborhood level and manage community affairs following the economic reforms of that era. These committees serve as a critical link between the central government and urban citizens, handling local public services and social management.
Cybersecurity Law
“Cybersecurity Law” refers to a legal framework, not a physical place, that governs digital security and data protection. A prominent example is China’s Cybersecurity Law enacted in 2017, which established comprehensive regulations for network operators, data localization, and content control. Its history is rooted in the country’s effort to assert sovereignty over its cyberspace, enhance national security, and regulate the rapidly growing internet industry.
Environmental Protection Tax Law
The Environmental Protection Tax Law is a legislative measure implemented in China in 2018. It was established to tax businesses and organizations for activities that cause pollution, replacing an older system of pollutant discharge fees. The law aims to provide a stronger economic incentive for companies to reduce their environmental impact and promote greener development.
Minamata Convention on Mercury
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty established in 2013 to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury. It was named after the Japanese city of Minamata, where severe mercury poisoning occurred in the mid-20th century due to industrial wastewater. The convention aims to control and reduce mercury pollution throughout its lifecycle, from mining to waste.
