People's Daily editorial calls the convocation of the annual session of China's top legislature Saturday "a major event of vital importance in pressing ahead with the national drive to build a well-off society in an all-around way."

During the Third Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), deputies will hear and discuss reports on the work of the government, the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme Court and Supreme Procuratorate, the budget and social and economic development plans.

The editorial, which will be published Saturday, says that a major task of the annual session is to deliberate the draft law against secession and elect new president of the Central Military Commission of China.

"The success of the annual meeting will encourage the Chinese people to fulfill this year's work with full confidence, and is very significant for the country's reunification undertaking," it says.

"The opening of the meeting is a major issue in the political life of the people of all ethnicities across the country," it says.

The editorial reviews China's major achievements last year, including the success of macro-control of the overheated economy. It says the NPC Standing Committee did a lot to improve legislation and supervision.

The achievements of the NPC, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last September, "have proven that the people's congress system is a sound system with great advantaged and strong vitality to comply with China's realities," and that "it will play a still greater role in pushing ahead the country's reform and opening up and the realization of the country's modernization undertaking," the editorial says.

The year 2005 is crucial to the fulfillment of China's 10th five-year plan for social and economic development and will pave the way for the upcoming 11th five-year plan, it says.

It says the NPC will assume more responsibility for strengthening the country's construction of democracy and legal system, and that the realization of a "harmonious socialist society" calls for a lager contribution from the NPC in legislation and supervision work.