BEIJING - National lawmakers on Wednesday will start deliberating the draft general provisions of civil law, which, if adopted, will bring the country one step closer to a long-absent civil code.

With the draft submitted to the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, the country is nearing the end of its crucial first step toward a civil code: laying down basic principles.

Last year, the draft went through three readings at the bi-monthly sessions of the NPC Standing Committee. It is rare for a draft law not to be passed after three readings.

After the adoption of the general provisions, separate civil laws on property and contract, among others, will be integrated into a unified code. According to the legislation plan, the code will be enacted in 2020.

Compiling a civil code, dubbed as "an encyclopedia on social life" which regulates personal and property relations, will help "better protect the people's immediate interests, improve state governance, maintain market order, ensure trading security, and promote the sound development of socialist market economy," says an explanation of the NPC Standing Committee on the draft.