Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, attends the third plenary meeting of the 15th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, on Wednesday convened a plenary meeting of its bimonthly session to review reports submitted by its Legislative Affairs Commission and the State Council.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the meeting.

At the meeting, lawmakers heard a report on the rectifications of the problems found in the execution of the 2018 central budget and other fiscal matters.

China has almost addressed all the fiscal irregularities and such rectifications involved about 310 billion yuan (about 44.33 billion U.S. dollars), said Hu Zejun, head of the National Audit Office, while delivering the report.

A report on China's social assistance work was also submitted to the legislature.

The social assistance work has helped narrow the gap between urban and rural areas and ensure the basic life of poor people, said Li Jiheng, minister of civil affairs, while delivering the report.

Entrusted by the State Council, Minister of Finance Liu Kun briefed lawmakers on a report on tax cuts and fee reduction work. China's massive tax and fee cut measures saved enterprises and individuals nearly 1.97 trillion yuan in the first 10 months of the year and the total cuts in the year are expected to reach 2 trillion yuan, Liu said.

Liu also delivered a report on China's fiscal expenditure on ecological and environmental protection to the legislature.

From 2016 to 2018, the fiscal spending in the sector amounted to about 2.45 trillion yuan, according to the report.

Shen Chunyao, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, reported to the legislature on the commission's recording and review work in 2019. Shen unveiled some related data and pledged to further improve the work.