China takes steady steps to raise retirement age: senior lawmaker

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A senior lawmaker on Friday said China is taking steady steps to raise retirement age.

Zhang Yong, deputy head of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, explained the legislative process at a press conference held after the top legislature adopted a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age in the country.

Zhang said the State Council submitted a bill about the draft decision to the top legislature in early August. It was decided on Aug. 27 to include the bill in the legislative agenda of the 11th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee scheduled for mid-September.

On Sept. 10, when the session opened, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping made explanatory remarks on the draft decision to the top legislature.

The lawmakers then held group deliberations. They deemed it necessary for the NPC Standing Committee to adopt such a decision to provide adequate legal basis for major reforms and to ensure the reform on retirement age is carried out in a steady and orderly manner, Zhang said.

The lawmakers said the draft is a feasible one as it has comprehensively considered various factors and fits the basic conditions and realities of the country. They broadly agreed to adopt the draft at the session, Zhang said.

The Constitution and Law Committee of the NPC held a meeting to review the opinions from group deliberations. The committee prepared a revised draft and a review report.

On Sept. 11, the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee heard a briefing of the Constitution and Law Committee.

On Sept. 12, lawmakers held group deliberations to review the revised draft of the decision. It was adopted on the morning of Sept. 13. ■