China's legislature is considering amendments to nine laws, including the highway law, the corporate law and the auction law, to limit and further legalize government's involvement in social and economic affairs.

"Some of the clauses in the existing laws do not conform with the Administrative Licensing Law and the requirements of shifting government function and reforming the administrative system. They should be canceled or revised," said An Jian, deputy director of the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The drafts of the amendments, which are being discussed at the ongoing 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 10th NPC starting Monday, include the following adjustments:

To establish an auction enterprise, the applicant no longer needs approval of the public security department as previously required.

To establish a hunting ground open to foreigners, the applicant no longer needs approval of the wildlife administration department. However, the applicant is still obligated to register the project in the wildlife administrative department.

After gaining the approval of an authoritative expert panel, sales of new breeds of aquatic products no longer needs the approval of the fishing administration.

"All the draft amendments are aimed at restricting the government's scope of power and simplifying the procedure," said Wu Jiang, professor of the National School of Administration.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the reform of the administrative licensing and has been vigorously pushing the reform.

Since October 2002, the State Council has abolished or adjusted 1,795 items formerly subject to administrative approval, nearly a half of the total handled by departments of the State Council.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2004)