BEIJING - Deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) gathered here Monday morning to elect the presidium and set the agenda for the legislative session scheduled to open on Tuesday.

It was the first time for the NPC deputies, who were elected earlier this year, to gather in the Great Hall of the People for the annual session of the national legislature.

A 178-member presidium and secretary-general were elected to take charge of the procedures of the session, said Fu Ying, spokeswoman of the session, at a press conference here.

Li Jianguo was elected secretary-general of the NPC session, which is scheduled to last 12-and-a-half days, she said.

According to the agenda, deputies will elect the chairman and vice chairpersons of the 12th NPC Standing Committee, as well as the country's president and vice president. They will also decide on the premier, vice premiers, state councilors and government ministers.

Deputies will elect the chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China and heads of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

They will hear and deliberate the government work report and examine the report on the national economic and social development plan and the central and local budgets.

They will also hear and deliberate the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The plan on institutional restructuring and function transformation of the State Council will also be tabled for deliberation at the session.