Presided over by Li Peng, an executive member of the presidium, the meeting passed draft decisions on: the work report of the NPC Standing Committee, the draft amendment to the Law of Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures, the work reports of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The draft decisions will be distributed among NPC deputies for examination before being submitted to the full session for adoption.

The presidium also approved a list of candidates nominated by the presidium as additional members to the NPC Standing Committee. The list will be put to a vote at the full session.

Wang Weicheng, chairman of the NPC Law Committee, reported on the result of debates on the draft amendment to the joint venture law.

The Law Committee agrees that an amendment to the joint venture law has been made necessary by the country's further opening up to the outside world and its expected accession to the World Trade Organization.

The committee proposed revisions to the draft amendment on the basis of suggestions raised by NPC deputies.

The discussed amendment concerns provisions in the original law which require that joint ventures file their production and operating plans to relevant authorities and purchase materials from within China whenever possible.

He Chunlin, deputy secretary-general of the Fourth Session, reported to the presidium on motions raised by NPC deputies.

The Fourth Session had received 1,040 motions from deputies by Saturday.

The presidium passed the reports by Wang Weicheng and He Chunlin.

(Xinhua 03/14/2001)