13) to decide on the appointment or recall of plenipotentiary representatives abroad;

14) to decide on the ratification or abrogation of treaties and important agreements concluded with foreign states;

15) to institute systems of titles and ranks for military and diplomatic personnel and of other specific titles and ranks;

16) to institute state medals and titles or honor and decide on their conferment;

17) to decide on the granting of special pardons;

18) to decide, when the NPC is not in session, on the proclamation of a state of war in the event of an armed attack on the country or in fulfillment of international treaty obligations concerning common defense against aggression;

19) to decide on general mobilization or partial mobilization;

20) to decide on the imposition of martial law throughout the country or in particular provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the Central Government;

21) to exercise such other functions and powers as the NPC may assign to it.

(3) Organs of the Standing Committee

The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC directs the work of the Standing Committee and convenes its meetings. The Vice Chairmen and the Secretary-general assist the Chairman in his work.

The Chairman, Vice Chairmen and Secretary-general constitute the Council of Chairmen which handles the important day-to-day work of the Standing Committee of the NPC.

The Standing Committee of the NPC establishes a deputy

credentials examination committee to examine the credentials of the deputies to the current NPC through by-elections and those newly elected to the succeeding NPC.

The credentials examination committee is composed of the chairman, vice chairman and members, nominated from among the members of the Standing Committee by the Council of Chairmen and agreed upon by the plenary session of the Standing Committee.

The NPC establishes special committees to examine, discuss and draw up relevant bills and draft solutions under the direction of the NPC and its Standing Committee.

When the NPC is not in session, its special committees work under the direction of the Standing Committee of the NPC.

The 9th NPC has established nine special committees, namely the ethnic groups committee, the law committee, the finance and economic committee, the education, science, culture and health committee, the foreign affairs committee, the overseas Chinese committee, the civil and judicial affairs committee, the environment and resources protection committee and the agriculture and rural areas committee.

Normally, the special committees are chaired by Vice Chairmen or members of the Standing Committee of the NPC.

The NPC and its Standing Committee may, when they deem it necessary, appoint committees of inquiry into specific questions and adopt relevant resolutions in the light of their reports.

(4) Ten NPCs and Their Standing Committee Chairmen

Since 1954, the People's Republic of China has convened ten National People's Congresses. The following chart is the basic fact about the ten NPCs and their standing committee chairmen.