China`s State Council Information Office releases a white paper on the Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics in Beijing, Oct. 27, 2011. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)
BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government on Thursday issued a white paper on the Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics.
The laws have been categorized as a milestone in the development of China`s socialist democratic legal system.
The white paper, released by the State Council Information Office, introduces the establishment, components and features of the socialist system of laws.
By the end of August 2011, the Chinese legislature had enacted 240 effective laws, including the current Constitution, 706 administrative regulations and over 8,600 local regulations, the white paper says. Governing China by law and building a socialist country under the rule of law is a fundamental principle for the Communist Party of China, says the white paper.
According to the white paper, the system is an organic integration of the related laws of the Constitution, civil and commercial laws, administrative laws, economic laws, social laws, criminal laws, litigation and non-litigation procedural laws and other legal branches.
While maintaining its stability, the Constitution is constantly improving and advancing with the times along with the reform and opening-up and the progress of the cause of socialist modernization, says the white paper.
The state has promulgated a series of laws and regulations and has developed a comparatively complete legal system to protect and ensure human rights, the white paper says.
China`s State Council Information Office releases a white paper on the Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics in Beijing, Oct. 27, 2011. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)
Various laws and regulations have been promulgated for environmental protection and for protection of intellectual property rights.
The white paper also states that China actively performs its obligations within the framework of the WTO, constantly improves its legal system regarding foreign trade, and has established a foreign trade system suited to the socialist market economy.
By the end of August 2011, China had enacted 18 social laws with respect to the adjustment of labor relations, social security, social welfare and protection of the rights and interests of special groups.
As an important component of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the system of laws has distinct features. It embodies the essential requirements of socialism with Chinese characteristics and meets the demand of the reform, opening up and socialist modernization, the white paper states.
In addition, the document says the need for legal system improvement is urgent in order to meet the challenges of new domestic and international situations, and new demands and expectations of the people, as well as new issues and problems facing China`s reform, development and stability.
China will continuously improve legislation in the economic and social fields, on socialist democracy, and in the cultural, scientific and technological fields. It will also attach importance to legislation on environment.
The formation of the socialist legal system has generally solved the basic problem of having laws for people to follow. However, the problem of ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced and that lawbreakers are prosecuted has become more pronounced and pressing.
Therefore, China will work to guarantee the effective enforcement of the Constitution and laws, and accelerate the advance of the rule of law and the building of a socialist country under the rule of law, the white paper says.
