国内英语新闻:Chinese lawmakers file 462 motions at annual parliamentary session

BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers have filed 462 motions to the secretariat of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), an official said Sunday.

According to Kong Ping, an official with the secretariat, 442 concerned legislation for issues such as the market economy, cultural reform, anti-corruption, environment and law enforcement.

The remaining motions were about the NPC supervision and other resolutions.

Last year, 522 motions were filed. Since NPC deputies were first tasked with raising motions at the annual session in 1983, the number increased sharply from 61 in that year to a peak of 1,374 in 2004. It has remained around 500 since 2005.

"The quality of motions this year is fairly good. About 68 percent of them have been informed by surveys, inspections or interviews," Kong said.

Motions from NPC deputies can be legally binding if they are adopted.

The secretariat also received around 8,600 proposals from NPC deputies, which are less formal and will not be legally binding.

The deadline for submitting motions and suggestions was midnight Friday.