Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the first plenary session of the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 27, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

    BEIJING, Oct. 28 -- For the first time in China's history, rural people may be about to get as much say in national decision-making as their urban counterparts.

    The nation's top legislature yesterday started to discuss a draft amendment to a law that - if passed - will ensure voters in the countryside have as much influence as voters in cities.

    BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature Tuesday discussed granting equal representation in people's congresses to rural and urban people, according to a draft law amendment.

The first plenary session of the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) is held in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 27, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

    A draft amendment to the Electoral Law, tabled at the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), for the first time aims to balance elections of lawmakers. 

    BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature started its bimonthly session Tuesday morning, with the focus on a draft amendment to the electoral law.

    The draft amendment to the law will undergo its first reading at the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, which was scheduled from Oct. 27 to 31. 

    BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- A draft amendment to China's state compensation law, which aims to better defend people's rights from being violated by state organs, was submitted to the top legislature for a third reading Tuesday.

    The bill was tabled for review at the bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), which opened Tuesday in Beijing. 

    BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers Tuesday began considering specific compensation for losses caused by infringements of personal rights, such as name, reputation, portrait and privacy rights, in a draft amendment on tort liability.

    The draft amendment to a draft law on tort liability was deliberated for the third time at the bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, which opened Tuesday in Beijing. 

    BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese legislators are discussing a draft law on the protection of oil and gas pipelines, which, they say, are facing growing problems due to rapid urbanization and the expansion of pipeline networks.

    Those who steal from pipelines could face heavy fines of up to 10 times the value of the stolen oil or gas, according to the draft law tabled with the country's top legislature on Tuesday. 

    BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature Tuesday began its second reading of the first draft law on diplomatic personnel, focusing on life accident insurance and easing conditions for marriage.

    The draft, submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) for a first reading in June, will be the first of its kind to regulate Chinese government agents working in the 171 countries with which China has diplomatic ties.