China's top legislature on Monday reviewed a bill proposed by the State Council, or Cabinet, to ratify a treaty between the Chinese and Italian governments regarding mutual judicial assistance in criminal cases.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi was entrusted by the State Council to brief the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) on the basic information of the treaty.

The 22-article treaty covers issues such as the scope of application, reasons for refusal or postponement of assistance, rules on lodging and executing requests for judicial assistance, and rules on confidentiality, witness protection, and the settlement of disputes, according to Yang.

Authorized by the State Council, the Chinese negotiation team made up of officials from various departments started negotiations with the Italian side regarding the treaty in October 2003 in Rome.

In March 2010, the two sides held a second round of negotiations in Rome and came to an agreement on all of the articles in the treaty, Yang said.

On Oct. 7, 2010, Yang and then-Italian Justice Minister Angelino Alfano signed the treaty on behalf of the two governments in Rome.

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