The 2001 national sessions of Chinese legislators and political consultative bodies are expected to focus on reviewing a new five-year economic plan, reinforcing the primary status of agriculture and revising a major law in relation to foreign investment.

Deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have been arriving in Beijing over the past two days, to participate in the annual meetings of the 9th CPPCC and NPC due to open today and Monday.

Yang Renzhen, a NPC deputy, said he believed the forthcoming meeting of Chinese legislators is of great significance, as the gathering will review the drafted 10th Five-Year Plan, a major economic scheme that surely has "tremendous bearings on China's development in the new century.?

Bai Jingzhong, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said he and his colleagues will rack their brains to offer advice and make suggestions on social and economic development, especially in discussing the new economic plan for 2001-05.

As well as the 10th five-year economic plan, topics such as improving farmers?income and strengthening the agricultural position are expected to attract intense attention at the March 5-15 annual legislative session and March 3-12 CPPCC meetings, according to some analysts.

Already, Premier Zhu Rongji has said the principal task of this year's economic work is to promote China's agricultural sector and improve farmers?incomes, which grew by a meagre 2 per cent last year, compared with a 9 per cent rise in 1996, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture.

The 2001 session of China's top legislature is also set to review the revisions of Law on Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures, according to a China News Service report.

The revisions were based on the pledges of the Chinese Government made during negotiations for China's accession to the WTO, Shi Guangsheng, minister of foreign trade and economic co-operation, said late last year

(China Daily 03/03/2001)