Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the 18th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, May 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, met on Monday in Beijing to prepare for the upcoming NPC annual session.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over meetings of Monday's session.

While addressing the closing meeting, Li said the third session of the 13th NPC is an important gathering to be held at a time when the overseas COVID-19 epidemic situations remain grim and complex, while major strategic achievements have been made by China in curbing the coronavirus.

To convene the session successfully will be of great significance to overcoming the negative impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic, securing a decisive victory in the fight against poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Li said.

Li called for all-out efforts to accomplish various tasks of the annual session, while adopting effective epidemic prevention and control measures.

The NPC annual session, after being postponed for more than two months over COVID-19, will open on May 22. The 13th NPC now has 2,957 deputies.

Lawmakers on Monday approved in principle a work report of the NPC Standing Committee, and entrusted Li to deliver the report to the NPC annual session on behalf of the committee.

Lawmakers voted to approve a draft agenda of the NPC annual session and a draft name list of the session's presidium and secretary-general, and decided to submit the drafts to the preparatory meeting of the annual session for review.

They also voted on deputy qualifications and personnel matters.

On Monday, Li also chaired meetings of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee and attended group deliberations.

During group deliberations, lawmakers lauded the NPC Standing Committee's work over the course of more than a year, including its initiation of legislation to strengthen legal safeguards for public health after the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Lawmakers vowed to focus on the targets of poverty eradication and achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects to advance the work of the legislature. Enditem