Draft law amendment considers giving equal representation in election

Wu Bangguo(C), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, the country's top legislature, addresses the 12th session of the 11th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 26, 2009.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, deliberated a draft amendment to the election law on Oct. 27. The draft amendment intends to grant equal representation to rural and urban people in people's congresses.

It requires both rural and urban areas to adopt the same ratio of deputies to the represented population in elections of lawmakers.

The amendment would also ensure proper representation of various regions, ethnic groups and sectors.

Grain output up for six consecutive years.

Farmers reap paddy rice in the field in Jiangzhuang village, Donghai county, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 11, 2008. Large parts of China have witnessed crop harvest in this golden autumn.

China's grain output reached 528.5 million tonnes, hitting a new record and realizing six consecutive years of growth.

The achievement came in spite of the global financial crisis, market price fluctuations and severe droughts in grain producing areas.