China's top legislature starts standing committee session

BEIJING -- The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, started its eighth session Monday in Beijing.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the session's first plenary meeting.

The session reviewed a draft revision to the Law on Guarding State Secrets. In preparations for the upcoming second session of the 14th NPC, lawmakers deliberated a work report of the NPC Standing Committee, the draft agenda of the NPC session, the draft name lists of the session's presidium and secretary-general, and a draft name list of the members invited to sit in on the session as non-voting participants.

Lawmakers also heard a deputy qualification report and reviewed personnel-related bills.