China's top legislature closes standing committee session

BEIJING -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, closed its legislative session Saturday, adopting the law on administrative discipline for government employees, and revisions to the archives law and the law on the people's armed police force.

President Xi Jinping signed presidential orders to promulgate the laws.

The closing meeting was presided over by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, and attended by 160 NPC Standing Committee members.

Li stressed that in the legislative work, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era should be fully implemented, and the centralized and unified leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee must be resolutely upheld, to ensure the Party's lines, principles and policies become the will of the country through legal procedures.

The newly-adopted law on administrative discipline for government employees is conducive to establishing an authoritative, efficient oversight system -- with complete coverage under the Party's unified leadership -- against duty-related violations and crimes, said Li.

He noted that the passage of the revised law on the people's armed police force is of great significance to upholding the absolute Party leadership over the armed forces and regulating and ensuring the fulfillment of duties of the armed police force.

The revised archives law provides legal protection for the modernization of China's cause of archives, Li said.

Lawmakers voted to approve a decision on joining the Arms Trade Treaty, and the central government's final accounts for 2019. They also adopted resolutions on personnel matters.

Before the closing meeting, Li presided over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee.