China's legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) will read the drafts of a new anti-drug law and a new property law during a six-day legislative session which will begin on August 22.

The anti-drug law is aimed at curbing drug-related crimes and reducing the growing number of drug users.

China has toughened its anti-drug stance in recent years and statistics from the Supreme People's Court show that Chinese courts handled 47,232 drug crime cases from January 2005 to May 2006.

Altogether, 53,205 defendants were given prison sentences in that period, with 22,371 convicts handed tough penalties including life imprisonment or even the death penalty, the statistics showed.

In June police officials said armed drug smuggling gangs had emerged in China and were trying to create a sophisticated network to sell drugs such as heroine and "ice".

Experts and police have repeatedly called for more anti-drug legislation to bring drug activities under control. The Ministry of Public Security has played an active role in drawing up the bill.

The draft property law will be submitted to the upcoming legislation for the fifth read, after China's legislature solicited public opinions on the draft by releasing it in full to the general public.

Chinese citizens provided 11,543 suggestions on the revision of the draft property law through the Internet, newspapers and letters to the top legislature in 40 days, since the draft was released to the public on July 10, 2005.

The draft has drawn nationwide attention as it relates to important issues, such as how to prevent farmland from forced acquisition by the local government, how to protect private assets and how to avoid state assets being embezzled.

The draft of the property law was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for the first read in December 2002.

Normally, China's law is adopted by the legislature after three reads. However, because the property law relates to every aspect of people's lives and attaches great importance to the protection of state assets and private assets, as well as social stability, the draft of property law will be submitted for the fifth read and it will be finally adopted in a plenary session of the NPC, said an official with the NPC Standing Committee.

Next week, along with the anti-drug bill and the draft property law, a draft law on the protection of minors will be submitted to the legislature for the first read. Lawmakers will also continue to deliberate drafts of a anti-money laundering law and a bankruptcy law.