The top legislature started a six-day session on Monday. Lawmakers are expected to debate eight bills and several cabinet reports.

Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), holds the First plenary session of the sixth session of the 11th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Dec. 22.

The meeting is set to review documents including draft amendments to the earthquake precautions and disaster relief law, the patent law, the criminal law and the insurance law.

Lawmakers will also consider social insurance and tort liability law drafts. The draft law on arbitration of rural land contract conflicts and draft amendment to the law on statistics will be tabled at the session for the first reading.

And lawmakers will also discuss the implementation of the current Five-Year Plan and measures to cope with the international financial turbulences. In addition, measures to stabilize consumer prices and efforts to control water pollution will also be discussed.

(CCTV December 23, 2008)