China's Legislature Examines 8 Draft LawsChina's national legislature kicked off a five-day session Tuesday to examine eight draft laws, dealing with issues ranging from birth control to legalizing the rural land contract system already in place for 20 years.The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress had its first hearing this afternoon of the draft law on rural land contract, draft amendments to the criminal code, the draft law on prevention and treatment of occupation diseases and the draft law on management of maritime space utilization. Draft laws previously reviewed, which deal with judges, prosecutors, prevention and control of desertification, and one on population and family planning, were also tabled with the bi- monthly session for further deliberation. The draft amendments to the law of judges made clear for the first time that the president and vice-president of people's court shall be chosen from judges or those with backgrounds of legal practice for their merit. More than a dozen major changes have been made to the draft law on prevention and control of desertification, of which one addition says that investments in the prevention and control of desertification shall enjoy tax exemption or reduction for a certain period of time. To make this law, which is still in the making, more powerful, amendments to the criminal law were introduced to the lawmakers Tuesday, stipulating that the destruction of forestry that causes environmental consequences shall be punishable by the criminal code. To counter the sometimes rude and coercive manners of some local officials in enforcing the birth control policy, the draft law on population and family planning made clear Tuesday that local governments and their staff shall execute their duty "in strict accordance with the law, without violating the personal rights, property rights and other legit rights and interests of citizens." The draft law on rural land contract is aimed at stabilizing the existing household contract system initiated by late leader Deng Xiaoping more than two decades ago, and entitling farmers " with long-term and guaranteed rights to use their contracted pieces of land," the draft law says. The draft law on the prevention and treatment of occupational disease stipulated in detail the prevention in advance, protection and control measures during work and guarantee of medical care for sick workers. The draft law on maritime space utilization proposes that the owner, the state, should be financially compensated for production in and other use of its maritime space. Li Peng, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over Tuesday's meeting. |
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