UNEVEN LEGISLATIVE JOURNEY

Before feudalism fell apart in China, the country was largely governed by feudal rulers and the concept of rule-by-man was deep-rooted among average Chinese. China did not try to apply the modern and contemporary system of laws until a century ago.

In 1950, the People's Republic of China adopted its first law, the Marriage Law, which won wide public support as it outlawed arranged marriage, a practice considered as a legacy from the feudal society.

In 1954, China enacted its first Constitution, paving the basis for the country's endeavor to build a country ruled by law.

China had made progressive legislative endeavor over the past three decades, said Huang Jianchu, director of the Economic Law Department under the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.

In the period, China amended its legal system in line with social and economic changes, people's rising demands for political rights, and evolving themes of the times, he said.

Yao Jianlong, professor with the East China University of Political Science and Law, said the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics is in compliance with China's current economic and social development as well as its political civilization.

China's legislation has been tailored to its national conditions and reality and should never copy foreign practices completely, said Du Tao, an official with the Civil Law Department under the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.

Du cited the country's Property Law as an example to demonstrate China's legislative endeavor to modify laws based on its own conditions.

In some foreign countries, individuals are allowed to own mines under their land. However, articles regarding such an issue cannot be incorporated into China's Property Law as it goes against the Constitution, which stipulates that mines are state assets, he said.

Zhou Guangquan, an NPC deputy and professor with the Law School of Tsinghua University, said China's law system has its distinctive features because China is still in the primary stage of socialism and pursues a unique development mode.

China has enacted some laws based on the need of its political, economic and social development, which are rarely found elsewhere in the world, he said.