2016年CRI Top Lawmaker Lauds China's Legislative Improvements（在线收听）

National People's Congress Chairman Zhang Dejiang says many key areas have seen legislative improvements.

"The standing committee of NPC has been focused on improving the quality of legislation. We have been dedicated to promoting legislation in several key areas, and made notable achievements that have supported and promoted the country's reform and development while ensured stability."

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The top legislator says China has enhanced legislation on national security, pushed forward legislation pertaining to people's well being, improved criminal law, and coordinated legislation in other areas such as the environment, education and health.

In terms of national security, the legislative body passed two laws in 2015 - the National Security Law and the Anti-Terrorism Law.

An amendment to the Criminal Law has also been passed last year, which imposed criminal sanctions against five types of terrorism-related activities and introduced harsher punishments for crimes involving terrorism and extremism.

Regarding people's well being, China has enacted or revised the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law, Food Safety Law and Anti-Domestic Violence Law.

He also points out that the revised Population and Family Planning Law is in response to the major demographic shift that has taken place in China and will have far-reaching effects on the country.

Regarding improvement in the Criminal Law system, Zhang highlights the removal of the death penalty for nine crimes that rarely saw the sentence applied, and improved legal regulations for punishing embezzlement and bribery.

Also, he lauded the strengthened protection of the rights of women, children and the elderly.

As for the legislative work expected in 2016, Zhang says the NPC standing committee is to strengthen and improve legislative work under the new circumstances.

"The Standing Committee must fully enforce the revised Legislation Law and the adjusted legislative plan; focus and work effectively on legislation in key areas; and make, revise, repeal, or interpret laws when necessary. We will legislate to promote the implementation of the new vision of development, make in-depth efforts to legislate effectively and democratically, and pay extra attention to raise the quality of legislation, so as to ensure that every piece of legislation accords with the guiding principles of the Constitution, reflects the will of the people, and wins their support, and that we have good laws to promote development and ensure good governance."

The official says the NPC Standing Committee will improve the legal system underpinning the socialist market economy.

"Focusing on the goal of ensuring the market plays the decisive role and the government better plays its role in resource allocation, we will strengthen the rule of law in economic and social development and in the operation of the market economy."

According to the report, the top legislature is working to revise a couple of laws on ecological conservation, environmental protection, agriculture, advertising and NGO management.