Presidium elected, agenda set for annual NPC session

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) gathered in Beijing on Wednesday at a preparatory meeting to elect the presidium and set the agenda for the fourth session of the 14th NPC, scheduled to begin on Thursday.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the preparatory meeting. All the preparatory work for the annual session has been completed, Zhao said.

A 167-member presidium was elected, with Li Hongzhong as secretary-general of the NPC session.

The preparatory meeting also adopted the agenda of the upcoming session:

-- Deliberate on the report on the work of the government;

-- Examine the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development;

-- Examine the report on the implementation of the 2025 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2026 draft plan, and the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2026;

-- Examine the report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2025 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2026, and the draft central and local budgets for 2026;

-- Deliberate on the bill put forward by the NPC Standing Committee on reviewing the draft environmental code;

-- Deliberate on the bill put forward by the NPC Standing Committee on reviewing the draft law on promoting ethnic unity and progress;

-- Deliberate on the bill put forward by the NPC Standing Committee on reviewing the draft law on national development planning;

-- Deliberate on the work report of the NPC Standing Committee;

-- Deliberate on the work report of the Supreme People's Court;

-- Deliberate on the work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate;

-- Deliberate on the report of the NPC Standing Committee on the work of the overhaul of laws and the proposed handling of certain laws and decisions.

Presidium elected, agenda set for annual NPC session

China's commissioning of "five essentials for aircraft carriers" marks a a significant achievement of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s accelerated transformation and development, said Jiang Bin, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday.

The "five essentials" refer to stealth carrier-based fighters, multirole catapult-assisted carrier-based fighters, fixed-wing carrier-based early warning aircraft, fixed-wing electronic warfare aircraft, and anti-submarine helicopters.

"The package, or what media have dubbed the 'five essentials for aircraft carriers,' is a vital link in forming the systematic combat capability of aircraft carrier formations and a significant achievement in the PLA Navy’s accelerated transformation and development. Building a strong PLA Navy embodies the Chinese nation's long-cherished aspiration of striving to be a strong naval power and serves as an important guarantee for realizing national rejuvenation. In the new era, under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Military Commission and President Xi, the modernization of the PLA Navy has become increasingly solid and powerful. From the air to the sea, from coastal waters to the open ocean, the types and functions of various weapons platforms have been continuously improved, achieving leapfrog development and innovative breakthroughs, providing stronger guarantees for safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests," he said.

Spokesman confirms commissioning of 'five essentials' for carriers