BEIJING -- China's draft law on national development planning was on Monday submitted to an ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, for its third deliberation.

This third draft comes with new provisions specifying that the formulation of national development plans should combine top-level design with the pursuit of advice from the people, and should leverage the auxiliary and supportive role of industrial associations.

The added provisions reflect an effort to follow a democratic approach and draw on a vast pool of wisdom in formulating national development plans.

In September, the draft law was submitted to a session of the NPC Standing Committee for its second deliberation, and was then made public to solicit opinions.