Legislators are mulling a draft law that would set dos and don'ts for foreign nongovernmental organizations in China.

The proposed law represents a big change to a draft that legislators looked at during a first reading four months ago that banned NGOs or their representative offices in China from setting up branches in the country.

The draft that was given a second reading at the bimonthly meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Thursday allows NGOs to open branches in the country with the permission of the State Council.