China´s top legislature approves minister nomination, adopts a number of bills

Lawmakers also voted to adopt a decision on issues relating to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and for forming the HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012 and on issues relating to universal suffrage.

Wu said that the adoption of the methods is an important decision made by the NPC Standing Committee on the issues concerning the development of Hong Kong's political system.

He said the decision is significant to comprehensively implement the principle of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing the HKSAR," and the high degree of autonomy, as well as the HKSAR Basic Law.

It will also ensure Hong Kong's democratic system to develop inline with the HKSAR Basic Law and in a gradual, progressive and healthy way, and maintain and promote long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, Wu said.

According to the methods, the NPC Standing Committee approved that appropriate amendments may be made to the specific method for selecting the fourth HKSAR chief executive and the specific method for forming the fifth term HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012.

The committee also decided that the election of the fifth HKSAR chief executive in the year 2017 may be implemented by the method of universal suffrage.

After the chief executive is selected by universal suffrage, the election of the HKSAR Legislative Council may be implemented by the method of electing all the members by universal suffrage.

The committee decided that the election of the fourth HKSAR Chief Executive in the year 2012 shall not be implemented by the method of universal suffrage. The election of the fifth term HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012 shall not be implemented by the method of electing all the members by universal suffrage.

The lawmakers also voted to adopt a draft law on labor dispute mediation and arbitration and the country's first anti-drug law.