China's legislature approved a motion on abolishing regulations on agricultural tax Thursday, which means China's 2,600-year-old agricultural tax will no longer exist as of Jan. 1, 2006.

The move is widely acclaimed as another major step toward improving the economic conditions of Chinese farmers, a top priority of the Chinese government.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature, also adopted a decision to hold the next NPC full session on March 5, 2006, a law on animal husbandry, interpretations on the protection of cultural relics and the use of invoices and decisions of appointments.

The NPC Standing Committee proposed the main agenda for the coming NPC annual session, which includes deliberating the government work report, deliberating and approving the 11th Five-Year Program for national economic and social development, deliberating and approving a report on the implementation of the national economic and social development plan for 2005 and the national economic and social development program for 2006.

Other items on the agenda include examining a report on the implementation of the central and local budget for 2005 and on the draft central and local budget for 2006, approving the report on the implementation of the central and local budget for 2005 and the central and local budget for 2006, and deliberating a work report of the NPC Standing Committee, a work report of the Supreme People's Court and a work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

According to the decisions of the committee, Li Shenglin, former vice-minister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission, was appointed minister of communications by China's legislature Thursday.

Li, 59, replaces Zhang Chunxian, who was just appointed secretary of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Huang Zhendong, Yang Zhengwu and Song Fatang, former Party chiefs of Chongqing Municipality, Hunan Province and Heilongjiang Province respectively, were appointed vice-chairmen of three special committees of China's top legislature.

Huang Zhendong, 65, former secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was appointed vice-chairman of the NPC Internal and Judicial Affairs Committee.

Yang Zhengwu, 65, former secretary the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, was named vice-chairman of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee.

Song Fatang, 64, form secretary of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee, became vice-chairman of the NPC Educational, Scientific, Cultural and Health Committee.

The CPC Central Committee earlier appointed Wang Yang, former deputy secretary-general of the State Council, as Party chief of Chongqing; Zhang Chunxian, former minister of communications, as Party chief of Hunan; and Qian Yunlu, former Party chief of Guizhou Province, as Party chief of Heilongjiang.

Other appointments announced at Thursday's legislative meeting included: Zhang Wentai, former political commissar of the PLA General Logistic Department, as vice-chairman of the NPC Environment and Resource Commission; Wang Yunlong, former deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, and Tang Tianbiao, former deputy director of the PLA General Political Department, as vice-chairmen of the NPC Agricultural and Rural Committee.

Source: Xinhua