Presided over by Li Peng, an executive member of the presidium, the meeting passed the draft decisions on the country's 10th five-year plan for national economic and social development and Premier Zhu Rongji's report on the plan and the implementation of 2000's plan for national economic and social development and on 2001's plan, the implementation of 2000's budgets, and budgets for the current fiscal year.

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

Monday's meeting also passed the two reports on the examination of the implementation of the development plan and budgets for 2000 and the plan and budgets for 2001 delivered by Chairman Chen Guangyi and vice-chairman Guo Zhenqian of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee.

The committee requests the approval of the development plan and the central budget for 2001 and the report on the implementation of 2000's central and local budgets.

According to law, local budgets are to be adopted by local governments and approved by people's congresses of the same levels.

Based on the views of NPC deputies, the Financial and Economic Committee of the NPC asked the government to take effective measures to further consolidate the role of agriculture as the foundation of the economy and increase the income of farmers; continue to implement the proactive fiscal policy; and at the same time administer tax affairs in strict accordance with law and improve the country's tax regime; increase government spending on compulsory education in rural areas.

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

(People’s Daily 03/12/2001)