As Premier Li Keqiang said in a news conference following the conclusion of the annual session of the country's top legislature on Thursday afternoon, as long as the country puts the people first, it will always be able to weather storms.

The tight schedule on the last day of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress highlights the productiveness of the seven-day meeting, despite it being delayed for two months and shortened to half its normal duration due to the focus on fighting the COVID-19 epidemic.

On Thursday, the nearly 3,000 NPC deputies passed the central government's report on its work last year, work plan for this year and the annual budget, as well as the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the supreme court and the supreme procuratorate, and they adopted the drafts of the civil code and the decision to make national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

As well as the decision to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms in Hong Kong to safeguard national security that has attracted so much attention, the work reports and budget reviewed by the NPC, and the civil code that was approved are all of far-reaching significance to the country overcoming the challenges it faces at this critical juncture in its pursuit of xiaokang, a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

That the China-bashers and meddlers making a farce over the Hong Kong legislation have unanimously opted to ignore the passing of the civil code only exposes their malice toward the country.

As a basic law of China's market economy, and an encyclopedia of social life, the code is related to every facet of the rule of law in the country. It is fair to say that the civil code will serve as a legal compass to keep the country's economic and social development on course. The code contains the legal, political and cultural wisdom of the top minds of the country to help guide it safely through the challenges it has encountered.

The support, trust and solidarity the NPC deputies have shown the government and the top judicial authorities when reviewing their reports and work plans testify to the competence of the government and judiciary in fulfilling their duties during this difficult time.

The overlapping uncertainties caused by the pandemic, along with the intensifying geopolitical confrontations with some major countries, have created headwinds for the country's pursuit of high-quality and coordinated development.

But the NPC session has reinforced that the nation has the will and strength to overcome the challenges and unexpected difficulties, and that the pursuit of a better life for the people is still the driving force for the country's development and value orientation for society.