A 175-member presidium for the Second Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), which begins Friday, was formed at a preparatory meeting attended by 2,747 NPC deputies in Beijing Thursday morning.

The agenda of the 10-day session was adopted at the preparatory meeting, presided over by Chairman Wu Bangguo of the 10th NPC Standing Committee.

NPC deputies will hear and deliberate reports on the government work, the budget and the socioeconomic development plan, and approve the draft amendments to the country's Constitution, among others.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2004)