China's top legislature announces plan for 2017

BEIJING -- Chinese lawmakers will revise the country's law on administrative supervision to turn it into a state supervision law this year, according to a new plan released by the top legislature.

The bill aims to provide a legal guarantee for a centralized, unified, authoritative and highly efficient state-level supervision system, and is scheduled for deliberation at the National People's Congress Standing Committee for the first time in June.

Law revisions and new bills on public libraries, tobacco tax, vessel tonnage tax, prevention and control of soil pollution, international judicial assistance in criminal matters, community correction and basic medical and health care will also be submitted to the legislature for a first reading in 2017.

Meanwhile, the legislature will review amendments to laws on farmers' specialized cooperatives, people's courts and procuratorates, and the national anthem later this year.

In June the committee will continue deliberating or revising laws on intelligence, small and medium-sized enterprises, and water pollution. In August, the e-commerce law will be revised.