China's top legislature passed the National Defense Mobilization Law on Friday after three readings, setting down rules on how and when the military should be mobilized in times of war or emergency.

The Law was approved by the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee at the end of a three-day bimonthly session. President Hu Jintao signed a decree to publish the Law, which will take effect on July 1.

The 72-provision law sets out principles and organizational mechanisms for national defense mobilization, personnel and strategic material storage, and the prevention and relief of war-related disasters.

According to the Law, the NPC Standing Committee will declare national or regional mobilization in line with the Constitution and laws "if state sovereignty, unification, territorial integrity or security is threatened."

Chinese president will issue a mobilization order based on the decision of the NPC Standing Committee, the Law stipulates.

The mobilization work will be jointly led by the State Council and the Central Military Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), according to the Law.

Major General Bai Zixing, head of the mobilization department of the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), said at Friday's press conference that a scientific, authoritative and efficient leading mechanism could offer organizational guarantee to China's mobilization ability.

Sun Zhenping, deputy head of the national law office of the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission, said at the same press conference that "At present, our country's national defence and security situation is generally stable. However, traditional and non-traditional threats to security still exist."

"We must be alert to the dangers in times of peace," he said. The Law is "very necessary to combat various kinds of threats to national security."

Sun stressed the newly-adopted Law also considers the needs for handling emergencies using the resources and manpower that the Law allows for, a practice already proved effective in the country's disaster relief in the past years.

The country will set up a system for managing strategic resources reserves and transfers in line with the needs of national defence mobilization, according to the law.

The country should ensure storage of military articles including facilities, materials and special production devices designed for military use according to the demand of military orders and equipment in wartime, it said.

Chinese enterprises and public entities that develop and manufacture products for national defense should receive subsidies and preferential treatment, the Law says.

The Law stipulates male citizens aged between 18 and 60 and females aged between 18 and 55, except for some special cases, should provide service for national defense, including giving support to military operations during wartime, engaging in prevention against war-related disasters as well as related relief tasks, and helping to maintain social order.

In order to successfully enforce wartime mobilization, special measures could be taken to supervise and control key industries and areas, according to the Law.

Drafting of the Law started in September 2000.