Highlights of press conference on legislation work of NPC

China's National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislative body, held on Monday a press conference on its legislative work.[Special coverage]

Several vice chairpersons and members from different committees of the 12th NPC took questions from domestic and overseas reporters.

On environmental protection legislation

Lyu Caixia, member of the Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, noted that the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee has actively promoted the construction of an eco-civilization system in a bid to improve air quality.

In terms of the number of legislation, a total of 18 items that the NPC Standing Committee has outlined are concerned with environmental protection, accounting for 18 percent of the whole legislation program.

Lyu also said the 12th NPC Standing Committee has regarded the people's concern and their interests as its top priority.

On China's cultural legislation

Legislation in the cultural field is essential because culture has the unique attributes of enlightening and guiding social progress, and promoting socialist core values in the society.

The 12th NPC Standing Committee has put great focus on enhancing the development of the cultural legislation system, and as a result, China has enacted the Law on Ensuring Public Cultural Services, the Film Industry Promotion Law and the law on public libraries to enrich public cultural services and people's cultural rights, said Wu Heng, vice-chairman of the Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.

He noted that the 12th NPC Standing Committee has also revised the laws on preservation of cultural relics and archive building during the past five years.

The first session of the 13th National People's Congress is underway in Beijing and will conclude on March 20.