China's Supreme People's Court is gearing up for the country's imminent WTO accession, the court's vice president Li Guoguang told a press conference Friday in Beijing.
Li said China's WTO entry will bring great changes to the legal environment. Laws and regulations that do not conform to those of the WTO will be modified, abolished or replaced by new ones, so as to provide a sound judicial environment for the economic and social development.
Li said out of all tasks facing the legal community, eliminating explanations of various laws and regulations is on the top agenda. The Supreme Court, in accordance with the Constitution and laws, WTO agreement and China's commitments, and the international conventions China has acceded to, has so far removed some 1,200 items of judicial explanations to laws and supplement regulations.
In addition, the court has carried out research on China's WTO entry and the judicial work, held lectures and training courses on WTO rules, and sent senior judges to study laws in developed countries, he said.
The Supreme Court's preparation work will last until the first quarter of next year; after that, similar tasks will be carried out in courts throughout the country, he added.
( November 10, 2001)