China's top legislature concludes standing committee session

China

China's top legislature concludes standing committee session

2026-04-30 21:41 Last Updated At：22:17

The Standing Committee of China's 14th National People's Congress (NPC) concluded its 22nd session on Thursday morning in Beijing.

At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to approve the revised Prison Law and Social Assistance Law, remove Han Jun from the post of minister of agriculture and rural affairs, appoint Zhang Zhu as the minister, and appoint Zhang Chengzhong as minister of emergency management.

President Xi Jinping signed presidential orders on the removal and appointments.

NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji presided over the closing meeting, which also approved a deputy qualification report.

The meeting adopted decisions on approving a treaty on judicial assistance in criminal affairs between China and Azerbaijan, and a treaty of permanent good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation between China and five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The legislators voted to remove Feng Yi from the post of deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, among other appointments and removals. Zhao presided over a lecture for lawmakers after the closing meeting.

The Standing Committee held an oath-taking ceremony to pledge allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People on the day.

Chinese foreign minister meets Lao counterpart

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane on Thursday in Beijing.

Noting that China and Laos are comrades and brothers, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China is ready to work with Laos to promote cooperation in the construction of the China-Laos Railway and in areas such as minerals, economy and trade, and human resources development, as well as to deepen cooperation within multilateral frameworks.

China is willing to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, and continuously advance the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future of strategic significance to a higher level, Wang added.

Thongsavanh said Laos firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and looks forward to taking the 65th anniversary of Laos-China diplomatic ties and the Year of Laos-China Friendship as an opportunity to further promote practical cooperation and implement the action plan for the Laos-China community with a shared future.