BEIJING -- The top legislature is considering draft revisions to the forest law to facilitate the sustainable use and development of forest resources.

The draft revisions were submitted Tuesday to the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for the first reading.

Wang Xiankui, vice chairman of the NPC's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, briefed lawmakers on the draft revisions.

The missions and functions of forestry and the situations it faces have undergone fundamental changes, which demand revisions to the existing forest law to provide legal guarantees for forestry reform and development, he said.

The draft defines the ownership of forest resources and forests, and proposes regulations on management and use of forest resources under the ownership.

The draft also proposes categorizing forests into public benefit forests and commercial forests, and adopting differentiated management measures.