Looking ahead

(China Daily) Updated: 2017-04-24 07:42

Events and stories coming up in the next few days

NPC legislators to discuss changes to various laws

The 27th plenary session of the 12th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, will be held in Beijing from Monday to Thursday. Legislators will discuss drafts involving amendments to the securities law as well as the surveying and mapping law. A nuclear safety law will also be discussed at the meeting.

Day to celebrate progress in space exploration

Monday marks Space Day, which aims to celebrate the country's progress in space exploration. On April 24, 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong 1, making China the fifth country to launch a domestically produced satellite using homemade rockets. Tianzhou 1, which is the country's largest and heaviest spacecraft, was lifted atop a Long March 7 carrier rocket on Thursday. This year's theme will focus on the applications of space technology in economic and social development. Various activities, including lectures and exhibitions, will be held across the country.

Talks to begin on upgrading China-New Zealand accord

This week, China and New Zealand will start negotiations on upgrading their free trade agreement, according to the Ministry of Commerce. During two days of talks opening on Tuesday, negotiators will discuss a number of topics including investment, service, quarantine of animals and plants, technology and competition policies. The two countries signed the free trade agreement in 2008.

Key economic data set to be released by statistics bureau

On Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics will release the prices of food and raw materials for the past 10 days in 50 major cities. The prices form one of the major indicators for the consumer price index, the main gauge of inflation. China's CPI rose by 0.9 percent year-on-year in March, the agency said.