China Focus: China accelerates legislation, improves legal system in past decade

BEIJING, April 25 -- In the past decade, China has diverted much effort to improving its legislation and enhancing its legal system.

At a Monday press conference, officials from governmental departments involved in legislation looked back on the country's achievements in this regard.

Over the past decade, China has seen a series of new laws adopted. According to Xu Anbiao, deputy head of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), 68 new laws were enacted by the NPC and its standing committee.

With laws in different fields enacted, China's legal system has been reinforced. Most notably, the country adopted the Civil Code in May 2020 to better protect the people's legitimate rights and interests.

In addition, with the people's participation in law-making increased and their voices better considered, China's legislation fully adheres to the principle of whole-process people's democracy. Also, legislation has been streamlined with improved mechanisms, boasting higher efficiency.

HIGHLIGHTING THE CONSTITUTION

China has adopted concrete measures over the past decade to uphold the authority of the country's Constitution, ensuring that all laws and regulations are in strict compliance with it.

According to Xu, not only did China designated Dec. 4 as the National Constitution Day, it has also made it mandatory for all officials to swear public allegiance to the Constitution upon taking office.

It has been clearly stipulated that any law, regulation, judicial interpretation and policy involving the understanding, implementation and application of the Constitution ought to be inspected by the NPC Standing Committee for compliance.

SAFEGUARDING NATIONAL SECURITY

China has put in place a legal Great Wall to safeguard national security by instituting new laws as well as revisions to the existing ones in this regard, said Tong Weidong, an official with the Legislative Affairs Commission.

More than 20 laws directly related to national security have been formulated or revised since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, said Tong.

Among these laws, the new National Security Law enacted in 2015, plays a leading, comprehensive and fundamental role. Apart from it, laws on counter-espionage, anti-terrorism, cybersecurity, biosecurity, nuclear safety and other fields were either enacted or revised.

FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT

In the past decade, China's legislation has evolved to suit to the circumstances. Aiming to address the most pressing problems the country faced in its development, a number of laws and regulations have been enacted and revised.

The Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), enforced in 2020, is a prime example in this regard. It has ended chaos in the HKSAR and brought the Hong Kong society back on the right track, said Yang Zhaoye, head of the research office of the committees of Hong Kong and Macao basic laws under the NPC Standing Committee.

Environmental protection is another area where legislators underscore in their work. Apart from incorporating the concept of ecological civilization into the Constitution, seven related laws have been formulated and 17 such laws have been revised in the past decade, said Xu.

The laws formulated and revised cover nearly all aspects of environmental protection, including combating air pollution, water pollution and the protection of forests and wetlands, Xu added.