A 176-member presidium for the Fourth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC) was formed at a preparatory meeting Saturday morning, when the agendas of the session, scheduled to open on Sunday, were also adopted.

Altogether 2,739 NPC deputies attended the preparatory meeting, presided over by Chairman Wu Bangguo of the 10th NPC Standing Committee.

During the 10-day session, NPC deputies will deliberate reports on the work of the government, the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

A major job of the lawmakers is to examine and approve the Guidelines for the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2006-2010), along with a report on the implementation of the 2005 development plan and the 2006 development plan.

They will also examine a report on the implementation of the 2005 budget and the draft budget for 2006 before giving approval, according to sources with the preparatory meeting.

A total of 2,988 deputies are expected to attend the annual session, 2,966 of whom had registered by Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2006)