Two Laws of the People's Republic of China (PRC) are published in full respectively on page 2 and page 5 of the People's Daily on November 28, 1999. Following are highlights of the two laws.

Maritime Lawsuit Special Procedural Law of the People's Republic of China

(Adopted by the 13th Session of the Ninth National People's Congress Standing Committee on December 25, 1999)

This law consists of 127 articles in 12 chapters. Chapter 1 General Principles; Chapter 2 Jurisdiction; Chapter 3 Maritime Request for Preservation; Chapter 4 Maritime Mandate; Chapter 5 Maritime Evidence Preservation; Chapter 6 Maritime Guarantee; Chapter 7 Service; Chapter 8 Judicial Procedure; Chapter 9 Establishment of Maritime Damage Compensation Liability Limitation Fund Procedure; Chapter 10 Procedure for Creditor Registration and Recipient of Compensation; Chapter 11 Ship Priority Interpellation Procedure; and Chapter 12 Supplementary Provisions.

Marine Environmental Protection Law of PRC

(Adopted by the 24th Session of the Fifth National People's Congress Standing Committee on August 23, 1982; and revised by the 13th Session of the Ninth National People's Congress Standing Committee on December 25, 1999)

This law comprises 98 articles in 10 chapters. Chapter 1 General Principles; Chapter 2 Marine Environment Supervision and Management; Chapter 3 Marine Ecological Protection; Chapter 4 Prevention and Control of Harm Done by Continental Pollutants to the Marine Environment; Chapter 5 Prevention and Control of Pollution Damage Done by Coastal Engineering Construction Projects to the Marine Environment; Chapter 6 Prevention and Control of Pollution Damage Done by Marine Engineering Construction Projects to the Marine Environment; Chapter 7 Prevention and Control of Pollution Damage Done by Dumped Waste Materials to the Marine Environment; Chapter 8 Prevention and Control of Pollution Damage Done by Ships and Related Operational Activities to the Marine Environment; Chapter 9 Legal Liability; and Chapter 10 Supplementary Provisions.