NPC passes new laws, extradition treaties

Several laws and two extradition treaties were passed at the closing meeting of a five-day bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, on Aug 26.

Lawmakers approved a revision to the drug administration law as part of the country's efforts to strengthen supervision to ensure drug safety, and also passed amendments to the laws on land administration and urban real estate administration and the resource taxes law.

Meanwhile, the legislature ratified extradition treaties with Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

At a press conference held by the NPC Standing Committee after the closing meeting, Yuan Jie, an official from the committee's Legislative Affairs Commission, said the revised drug administration law, which will take effect on Dec 1, gives the strictest punishments to those making or selling fake or unqualified medicines, such as fines, shutting down drug enterprises and revoking business licenses.

As for revising the land administration law, Yang Heqing, another commission official, said the amendment aims to highlight and more effectively protect land rights of farmers and better balance the relationship between them and their lands.

To ensure the resource taxes law can be effective in September next year, "we'll specify and optimize the law and offer more training on analyzing the law for employees in the tax-related industries to give quick and accurate answers to the public," said Bu Xianglai, from the State Taxation Administration.

Draft law to promotion of basic medical and health care, and draft sections on personal rights and torts of the civil code, as well as reports on enforcement of the water pollution prevention and control law and on employment promotion also were reviewed by the legislature during the session.