China's supreme court will be busy this year as it begins to
develop and provide legal interpretation of several new and far
reaching laws that were passed earlier this month at China's annual
legislative assembly.
"The Supreme People's Court will issue a series of key judicial
explanations relating to the nation's economy and social justice
this year," said Chief Justice Xiao Yang on Thursday.
Xiao said the legal interpretations of the newly adopted
property law will be delivered "at an appropriate time," and will
be designed to ensure that courts around the country fully
understand the 247 articles in the law.
Sun Xianzhong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences, said China had already seen an increase in the number of
cases involving property disputes in recent years.
"There is no doubt that the number of such cases will rise
greatly," once the law has been enacted, he said.
Sun said that some articles of the property law are vague and
courts will have difficulty applying the law.
"Therefore, a judicial interpretation is really needed to help
courts better handle the cases," Sun said.
Xiao said interpretations of the property law and the new tax
law will be written after serious study and deliberation of
proposals and suggestions that had been put forward by legislators
and political advisors at the parliamentary session early this
month.
China's landmark property law was adopted on March 16 after
taking 13 years to wind its way through the legislative
process.
The law will come in effect on Oct. 1 and stipulates that "the
property of the state, the collective, the individual is protected
by law, and no unit or individuals may infringe upon it".
This is the first time that equal protection of state and
private properties has been enshrined in Chinese law, which
analysts say marks a significant step in the country's efforts to
further economic reforms and boost social harmony.
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(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2007)