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BEIJING, Dec. 27-- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) closed its bimonthly session Wednesday, adopting new laws, revisions and decisions on laws and reforms. Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting, as well as a meeting attended by the chairman and vice chairpersons beforehand. Zhang said last Wednesday's annual Central Economic Work Conference laid out a blueprint for the country's economic work in 2018, and lawmakers should do their work in legislation and supervision according to decisions and policies of the conference. BILLS TO INVIGORATE RURAL AREAS The top legislature adopted two bills, including a revision to the Law on Farmers' Specialized Cooperatives and a decision to extend a pilot program allowing farmers in selected areas to mortgage their land use rights and housing property rights, amid efforts to invigorate rural areas. The revision to the Law on Farmers' Specialized Cooperatives grants farmers' specialized cooperatives equal legal status with other market entities, as well as rights to invest in enterprises in accordance with the law. Approved in December 2017, the pilot program for mortgaging contracted land use rights tried out in 232 localities including Daxing District of Beijing, and that for mortgaging rural property rights was tested in 59 localities including Jixian County in Tianjin. | 
