Xinhua reported (June 21) that the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, will convene its 20th session from June 28 to 30 in Beijing, within a week of its 19th session. The decision was made during a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee Saturday, which was presided over by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. The meeting suggested that the upcoming session review draft revisions to the Patent Law and the Law on the Protection of Minors as well as the draft export control law. The session is also expected to deliberate proposals on reviewing the draft Amendment XI to the Criminal Law, a draft revision to the Administrative Penalty Law and the draft data security law. 

(Comment: At the 13th NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC)'s 19th session which concluded on June 20, the NPCSC adopted three bills and approved China’s accession to the Arms Trade Treaty. The same day it was decided to convene the NPCSC again later this month from June 28 to 30. Six bills are on the 20th session’s tentative agenda, including the draft Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region [香港特别行政区维护国家安全法] (Hong Kong National Security Law). The NPCSC ordinarily meets once every two months; it has not held two sessions in such close proximity in over at least two decades.)