The country's legislative agenda for the coming year looks will
focus more on social concerns than in previous years, reflecting
official efforts to ensure a harmonious society.
According to the annual legislative plan released yesterday by
the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC),
China's top legislature, about half of the 20 draft laws or
amendments to be discussed this year touch on social problems.
Among them are draft laws covering labor contracts, social
insurance, employment, food safety, the environment, energy
conservation, and responses to public emergencies.
By contrast, five of the 18 draft laws discussed during last
year's session addressed social issues.
The plan also lists three economic draft laws to be deliberated
by the NPC, a sharp decrease from the eight on last year's agenda.
The new drafts deal with property rights, taxation, and urban and
rural development.
"Because China now places economic growth and social development
on an equal footing, there will be more laws dealing with social
issues in the next few years," the committee wrote in its plan.
According to the plan, China will have 230 laws on the books by
early next year.
The committee's plan also said the country would do more to
improve the legal system and human rights conditions this year.
Legislators will amend the Civil Procedure Law, Criminal
Procedure Law, and the Lawyers Law, which sets qualifications for
lawyers, in the hope that the changes will streamline the legal
process.
The drafts of the property law and corporate income tax law to
be deliberated at the upcoming fifth session of the 10th NPC next
month are sure to be the most eye-catching new pieces of
legislation.
According to Legislation Law, only laws that affect the
country's legal system can be submitted to the full session of the
NPC.
If passed, the property law, which received a record-setting
seven readings by the NPC Standing Committee, will be the country's
first law to protect both public and private ownership. The tax law
will place foreign and domestic business on a "level playing field"
by unifying the corporate income tax at 25 percent.
The committee also said yesterday that it would hear and discuss
eight work reports from the State Council this year. The reports
deal with subjects ranging from environmental protection, food
safety, health system reform, and rural development to the
protection of the rights of employees.
(China Daily February 28, 2007)