On Thursday, September 7, 2023, China’s national legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC), released the five-year legislative plan for its current term ending in 2028. Since 1993, each NPCSC has adopted such a plan to outline and prioritize the legislative tasks during its five-year term. Those plans are important documents that require the approval of the Communist Party’s central leadership.
Like its previous iterations, the 14th NPCSC’s plan places legislative projects in three groups, Category I to III, in descending priority (or ripeness). With 79 projects in Category I and 51 in Category II, for a total of 130, the plan is the second most ambitious one yet in the NPC’s history (just behind the 8th NPCSC’s plan, which included 152 projects). In addition, Category III of the latest plan includes about a dozen broad areas for potential legislation, but indicates further research is still needed to evaluate exactly what projects are necessary and feasible. Unlike its previous iterations, the 14th NPCSC’s plan for the first time lists two general legislative tasks at the end of Category I: the first to advance the compilation of additional legal codes, and the other to initiate efforts to “clean up” [清理] national laws (i.e., a comprehensive review of existing legislation to identify outdated provisions and conflicts among laws and to then address those issues).
It is important to note that the NPCSC’s five-year legislative plans are not binding, but are merely guidelines. As one official explained, when necessary, the NPCSC may and do “dynamically adjust” its legislative agenda through annual and special legislative plans in the course of a five-year term. Indeed, the latest plan (at the end of Category I) explicitly leaves room for the NPCSC’s consideration of unlisted projects to implement the Party’s priorities.
Finally, a note on translation. The new plan uses the term “修改” to mark a law scheduled for update. We generally translate that word as “modification” (and abbreviated as “Mod.”) because it is a broader term that encompasses both “修正” (amendment) and “修订” (revision)—which, as we have explained in our FAQ, are the two distinct forms of statutory changes in China. But when the specific method of modification is known (for instance, because the relevant government agency has released a draft for public comment), we will correspondingly translate “修改” as either “Amdt.” (short for “amendment”) or “Rev.” (short for “revision”).
The 14th NPC Standing Committee’s five-year legislative plan is translated in full below. Additional analysis of the plan is in the works. In the coming days, we will update our Legislation page in accordance with the plan and create an annotated and sortable version of the plan on Wikisource. We will not keep this post updated, so please bookmark those two links instead.
十四届全国人大常委会立法规划
14th NPC Standing Committee Legislative Plan
（共130件）
(130 projects)
第一类项目：条件比较成熟、任期内拟提请审议的法律草案（79件）
Category I projects: Draft laws for which the conditions are relatively ripe and which are planned to be submitted for deliberation during the term (79 projects)
| # | 法律名称 Title of Law | 提请审议机关或牵头起草单位 Organ Submitting for Review or Lead Drafting Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 国家发展规划法 Law on National Development Plans | 国务院 State Council |
| 2 | 国有资产法 State-Owned Assets Law （企业国有资产法修改，一并考虑） (Modification of Law on the State-Owned Assets of Enterprises to be considered together) | 全国人大财经委 NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee 全国人大常委会预算工委 NPCSC Budgetary Affairs Commission |
| 3 | 不动产登记法 Real Property Registration Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 4 | 金融稳定法 Financial Stability Law | 国务院 （已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 5 | 农村集体经济组织法 Rural Collective Economic Organizations Law | 全国人大农业农村委（已提请审议） NPC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (submitted for review) |
| 6 | 耕地保护法 Farmland Protection Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 7 | 对外关系法 Foreign Relations Law | 委员长会议（2023年6月已审议通过） Council of Chairpersons (adopted in June 2023) |
| 8 | 外国国家豁免法 Foreign State Immunity Law | 国务院（2023年9月已审议通过） State Council (adopted in September 2023) |
| 9 | 增值税法 Value-Added Tax Law | 国务院（已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 10 | 消费税法 Consumption Tax Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 11 | 关税法 Tariff Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 12 | 民事强制执行法 Civil Compulsory Enforcement Law | 最高人民法院（已提请审议） Supreme People’s Court (submitted for review) |
| 13 | 检察公益诉讼法 Procuratorial Public Interest Litigation Law （公益诉讼法，一并考虑） (A Public Interest Litigation Law to be considered together) | 全国人大监察司法委 NPC Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee |
| 14 | 反跨境腐败法 Law on Countering Transnational Corruption | 国家监委 State Supervision Commission |
| 15 | 学前教育法 Preschool Education Law | 国务院（已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 16 | 学位法 Academic Degrees Law | 国务院（已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 17 | 爱国主义教育法 Patriotic Education Law | 委员长会议（已提请审议） Council of Chairpersons (submitted for review) |
| 18 | 法治宣传教育法 Law on Publicity and Education on the Rule of Law | 全国人大监察司法委 NPC Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee |
| 19 | 志愿服务法 Volunteer Service Law | 全国人大社会委 NPC Social Development Affairs Committee |
| 20 | 社会救助法 Social Assistance Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 21 | 药师法 Pharmacists Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 22 | 突发公共卫生事件应对法 Public Health Emergency Response Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 23 | 无障碍环境建设法 Barrier-Free Environments Development Law | 全国人大社会委（2023年6月已审议通过） NPC Social Development Affairs Committee (adopted in June 2023) |
| 24 | 青藏高原生态保护法 Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Ecological Conservation Law | 全国人大环资委（2023年4月已审议通过） NPC Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation Committee (adopted in April 2023) |
| 25 | 国土空间规划法 Territorial Spatial Planning Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 26 | 国家公园法 National Parks Law （自然保护地法，一并考虑） (A Natural Protected Areas Law to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
| 27 | 能源法 Energy Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 28 | 原子能法 Atomic Energy Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 29 | 粮食安全保障法 Law on Ensuring Food Security | 国务院（已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 30 | 突发事件应对管理法 Emergency Response and Management Law | 国务院（已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 31 | 国家消防救援人员法 National Fire and Rescue Personnel Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 32 | 危险化学品安全法 Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 33 | 公司法（修改） Company Law (Rev.) | 委员长会议（已提请审议） Council of Chairpersons (submitted for review) |
| 34 | 企业破产法（修改） Enterprise Bankruptcy Law (Rev.) | 全国人大财经委 NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee |
| 35 | 反不正当竞争法（修改） Anti–Unfair Competition Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 36 | 会计法（修改） Accounting Law (Rev.) （注册会计师法修改，一并考虑） (Revision to Certified Public Accountants Law to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
| 37 | 中国人民银行法（修改） Law on the People’s Bank of China (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 38 | 商业银行法（修改） Commercial Banks Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 39 | 保险法（修改） Insurance Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 40 | 反洗钱法（修改） Anti–Money Laundering Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 41 | 铁路法（修改） Railway Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 42 | 矿产资源法（修改） Mineral Resources Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 43 | 产品质量法（修改） Product Quality Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 44 | 计量法（修改） Metrology Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 45 | 农业法（修改） Agriculture Law (Mod.) | 全国人大农业农村委 NPC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee |
| 46 | 对外贸易法（修改） Foreign Trade Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 47 | 海商法（修改） Maritime Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 48 | 海关法（修改） Customs Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 49 | 税收征收管理法（修改） Tax Collection Administration Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 50 | 立法法（修改） Legislation Law (Amdt.) | 委员长会议（2023年3月已审议通过） Council of Chairpersons (adopted in March 2023) |
| 51 | 各级人民代表大会常务委员会监督法（修改） Law on the Oversight by the Standing Committees of People’s Congresses at All Levels (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 52 | 全国人民代表大会和地方各级人民代表大会代表法（修改） Law on the Delegates to the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses at All Levels (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 53 | 城市居民委员会组织法（修改） Urban Residents’ Committees Organic Law (Rev.) | 全国人大社会委 NPC Social Development Affairs Committee |
| 54 | 村民委员会组织法（修改） Villagers’ Committees Organic Law (Rev.) | 全国人大社会委 NPC Social Development Affairs Committee |
| 55 | 国务院组织法（修改） State Council Organic Law (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 56 | 行政复议法（修改） Administrative Reconsideration Law (Rev.) | 国务院（2023年9月已审议通过） State Council (adopted in September 2023) |
| 57 | 国家赔偿法（修改） State Compensation Law (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 58 | 律师法（修改） Lawyers Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 59 | 仲裁法（修改） Arbitration Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 60 | 监狱法（修改） Prisons Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 61 | 民事诉讼法（修改） Civil Procedure Law (Amdt.) | 最高人民法院（2023年9月已审议通过） Supreme People’s Court (adopted in September 2023) |
| 62 | 刑事诉讼法（修改） Criminal Procedure Law (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 63 | 教师法（修改） Teachers Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 64 | 科学技术普及法（修改） Science and Technology Popularization Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 65 | 文物保护法（修改） Cultural Relics Protection Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 66 | 国家通用语言文字法（修改） Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language (Mod.) | 全国人大教科文卫委 NPC Education, Science, Culture, and Public Health Committee |
| 67 | 慈善法（修改） Charity Law (Rev.) | 全国人大社会委（已提请审议） NPC Social Development Affairs Committee (submitted for review) |
| 68 | 传染病防治法（修改） Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Rev.) （国境卫生检疫法修改，一并考虑） (Revision to Frontier Health and Quarantine Law to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
| 69 | 道路交通安全法（修改） Road Traffic Safety Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 70 | 海洋环境保护法（修改） Marine Environmental Protection Law (Rev.) | 全国人大环资委（已提请审议） NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee (submitted for review) |
| 71 | 进出境动植物检疫法（修改） Exit-Entry Animals and Plants Quarantine Law (Amdt.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 72 | 可再生能源法（修改） Renewable Energy Law (Mod.) | 全国人大环资委 NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee |
| 73 | 反间谍法（修改） Counterespionage Law (Rev.) | 全国人大监察司法委（2023年4月已审议通过） NPC Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee (adopted in April 2023) |
| 74 | 保守国家秘密法（修改） Law on Guarding State Secrets (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 75 | 现役军官法（修改） Officers in Active Service Law (Mod.) | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 76 | 国防教育法（修改） National Defense Education Law (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 77 | 刑法修正案 Criminal Law Amendment | 委员长会议（已提请审议） Council of Chairpersons (submitted for review) |
| 78 | 治安管理处罚法（修改） Public Security Administration Punishments Law (Rev.) | 国务院（已提请审议） State Council (submitted for review) |
| 79 | 网络安全法（修改） Cybersecurity Law (Mod.) | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
积极研究推进环境（生态环境）法典和其他条件成熟领域的法典编纂工作。适时启动法律清理工作。
Actively study and promote the compilation of an environmental (ecological and environmental) code and other codes in areas for which the conditions are ripe. Launch efforts to clean up laws at the appropriate time.
贯彻落实党中央决策部署，对推进全面深化改革，实施区域协调发展战略和区域重大战略，国防和军队建设，维护国家安全，推进科技创新和人工智能健康发展，完善涉外法律体系等，要求制定、修改、废止、解释相关法律，或者需要由全国人大及其常委会作出相关决定的，适时安排审议。
To implement the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee, where it is necessary to formulate, modify, repeal, or interpret the relevant laws or necessary for the NPC and its Standing Committee to make the relevant decisions, so as to advance the comprehensive deepening of reforms, implement the strategy of coordinated regional development and major regional strategies, develop national defense and the military, safeguard national security, advance scientific and technological innovation and the healthy development of artificial intelligence, and improve the system of foreign-related laws, etc., they are to be scheduled for deliberation at the appropriate time.
第二类项目：需要抓紧工作、条件成熟时提请审议的法律草案（51件）
Category II projects: Draft laws that should be worked on without delay and are to be submitted for deliberation when the conditions become ripe (51 projects)
| # | 法律名称 Title of Law | 提请审议机关或牵头起草单位 Organ Submitting for Review or Lead Drafting Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 电信法 Telecommunications Law （无线电频谱资源法，一并考虑） (A Radio Spectrum Resources Law to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
| 2 | 交通运输法 Transportation Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 3 | 航天法 Space Law | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 4 | 航空法 Aviation Law （民用航空法修改，一并考虑） (Revision to Civil Aviation Law to be considered together) | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 5 | 行业协会商会法 Law on Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce | 国务院 State Council |
| 6 | 民族团结进步促进法 Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress | 全国人大民委 NPC Ethnic Affairs Committee |
| 7 | 华侨权益保护法 Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Overseas Chinese | 全国人大华侨委 NPC Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee |
| 8 | 机关事务管理法 Government Offices Administration Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 9 | 看守所法 Detention Centers Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 10 | 司法鉴定法 Judicial Authentication Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 11 | 数字经济促进法 Digital Economy Promotion Law | 全国人大财经委 NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee |
| 12 | 社会信用建设法 Social Credit Development Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 13 | 见义勇为人员奖励和保障法 Law on Rewarding and Protecting Good Samaritans | 全国人大社会委 NPC Social Development Affairs Committee |
| 14 | 文化产业促进法 Cultural Industry Promotion Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 15 | 历史文化遗产保护法 Historical Cultural Heritage Protection Law （非物质文化遗产法修改，一并考虑） (Modification of Intangible Cultural Heritage Law to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
| 16 | 广播电视法 Radio and Television Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 17 | 产业工人队伍建设法 Law on Strengthening Industrial Workforce | 全国总工会 All-China Federation of Trade Unions |
| 18 | 医疗保障法 Healthcare Security Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 19 | 医疗器械管理法 Medical Devices Administration Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 20 | 托育服务法 Childcare Service Law | 全国人大教科文卫委 NPC Education, Science, Culture, and Public Health Committee |
| 21 | 养老服务法 Eldercare Service Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 22 | 户籍法 Household Registration Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 23 | 电磁辐射污染防治法 Law on the Prevention and Control of Electromagnetic Radiation Pollution | 国务院 State Council |
| 24 | 海洋法 Law of the Sea | 委员长会议 Council of Chairpersons |
| 25 | 国家储备安全法 National Reserves Security Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 26 | 民兵法 Militia Law | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 27 | 自然灾害防治法 Natural Disasters Prevention and Control Law （防震减灾法修改，一并考虑） (Modification of Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
| 28 | 网络犯罪防治法 Cybercrime Prevention and Control Law | 国务院 State Council |
| 29 | 招标投标法（修改） Bid Invitation and Bidding Law (Rev.) （政府采购法修改，一并考虑） (Revision to Government Procurement Law to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council 全国人大财经委 NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee |
| 30 | 预算法（修改） Budget Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 31 | 价格法（修改） Pricing Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 32 | 商标法（修改） Trademarks Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 33 | 统计法（修改） Statistics Law (Amdt.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 34 | 银行业监督管理法（修改） Banking Supervision and Administration Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 35 | 电力法（修改） Electricity Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 36 | 渔业法（修改） Fisheries Law (Rev.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 37 | 公证法（修改） Notarization Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 38 | 海事诉讼特别程序法（修改） Special Maritime Procedure Law (Mod.) | 最高人民法院 Supreme People’s Court |
| 39 | 社会保险法（修改） Social Insurance Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 40 | 气象法（修改） Meteorology Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 41 | 旅游法（修改） Tourism Law (Mod.) | 全国人大财经委 NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee |
| 42 | 水法（修改） Water Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 43 | 节约能源法（修改） Energy Conservation Law (Mod.) | 全国人大财经委 NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee |
| 44 | 人民防空法（修改） Civil Air Defense Law (Mod.) | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 45 | 国防动员法（修改） National Defense Mobilization Law (Mod.) | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 46 | 国防交通法（修改） National Defense Transportation Law (Mod.) | 国务院、中央军委 State Council & Central Military Commission |
| 47 | 防洪法（修改） Flood Control Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 48 | 出境入境管理法（修改） Exit-Entry Administration Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 49 | 枪支管理法（修改） Firearms Control Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 50 | 禁毒法（修改） Narcotics Control Law (Mod.) | 国务院 State Council |
| 51 | 人民警察法（修改） People’s Police Law (Rev.) （人民警察警衔条例修改，一并考虑） (Modification of Regulations on the Police Ranks of the People’s Police to be considered together) | 国务院 State Council |
第三类项目：立法条件尚不完全具备、需要继续研究论证的立法项目
Category III Projects: Legislative projects without complete legislative conditions and for which continuing research and debate are needed
规范非税收入、政府债务、转移支付等财政税收制度，重要江河流域保护，应对气候变化和碳达峰碳中和，促进人口高质量发展，基本劳动标准和新就业形态，信访、矛盾纠纷多元化解，数据权属和网络治理等方面的立法项目，以及其他需要研究论证的修改法律的项目，经研究论证，条件成熟时，可以安排审议。
Projects to formulate laws on regulating fiscal and taxation systems such as non-tax revenue, government debt, and transfer payments; on conserving important river basins; on addressing climate change as well as achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality; on promoting high-quality population development; on basic labor standards and new forms of employment; on public complaints and diversified resolution of disputes; on data ownership and internet governance; and on such other areas, as well as other projects to modify laws that require research and debate, may be scheduled for deliberation when the conditions become ripe after research and debate.
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