China's parliament to start annual session

The 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature of China, will start its fourth session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing at 9 AM Saturday.

Premier Wen Jiabao will deliver a report on the work of the government at the opening meeting.

More than 2,700 NPC deputies attended a preparatory meeting Friday to elect a presidium and set the agenda for the legislative session.

According to the agenda adopted at the preparatory meeting, the NPC deputies will deliberate the government work report, examine and adopt the Outline of the 12th Five-Year Program on National Economic and Social Development.

There are 2,979 deputies to the 11th NPC. As of Thursday, 2,959 NPC deputies had registered to the annual session.