The seventh meeting of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee closed on Sunday after the committee passed a draft agenda for the upcoming second session of the NPC.

Also adopted at the meeting were the draft annual work report of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, and draft lists of the presidium and secretary generals of the upcoming NPC session, and a list of nonvoting delegates to attend the session.

Bo Xilai was appointed Commerce Minister, replacing Lu Fuyuan, who resigned for health reasons.

During the meeting that lasted from Feb. 26 to 29, members of the NPC Standing Committee reviewed a report on bird flu prevention and control presented by the State Council. The draft amendment to the Foreign Trade Law was submitted for second review and the draft law on promoting the mechanization of agriculture was discussed for the first time.

(China Daily February 29, 2004)