First review of draft law on vehicle, vessel tax by China's lawmakers

China's top legislature will discuss the draft law on vehicle and vessel taxation for the first time at a bimonthly session scheduled from Oct. 25 to 28.

The decision was announced in a statement issued after the Chairman's Council of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee here Thursday, presided over by Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

A State Council executive meeting passed the draft law on Tuesday and decided to submit it for lawmakers to discuss.

It is expected to improve and standardize the taxation system, following the principles of being fair, eco-friendly and saving energy, said a statement issued after the meeting.

China, having a total of 199 million vehicles, currently only has a regulation on vehicle and vessel tax, that took effect in 2007.

In addition, at the coming session lawmakers will continue reading the drafts of the law on social insurance and the law on law application to civil relationships involving foreign interests, said the statement from the NPC Standing Committee.

Legislators will also discuss the draft amendment to the Organic Law of Villagers' Committees, which will be reviewed for the third time, regarding rural people having greater powers to remove village committee members and to convene meetings to decide village affairs.

The draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the NPC and Local People's Congresses at Various Levels will also be reviewed again, the statement said.

Lawmakers will discuss the reports from the Supreme People's Court on the work of civil trials and from the Supreme People's Procuratorate on improving their work against graft and rights infringement.