Public participation in the making of the labor contract law is highly significant, says a commentary in Workers' Daily. An excerpt follows:

The draft labor contract law was publicized on March 20 to solicit public opinion. The general public have actively participated in expressing their ideas. According to the Xinhua News Agency, the working committee of legal affairs under the standing committee of the National People's Congress received about 320,000 opinions within a week of publication.

The public gave broad attention to issues concerning the sphere of application, shortening of labor contract, time limit of probation period and compensation standard. They also raised a series of issues that are closely connected to laborers' rights and interests, such as default payments to migrant laborers. The public hope these issues can be clarified and reflected in the law.

Frankly speaking, the law on labor contract cannot solve all the current problems concerning laborers' rights and interests. But the law-making process shows that the public have a deeper understanding of the rule of law.

The work of law-making must be professional and precise. But to invite public suggestions into the law-making process shows an open, scientific and democratic attitude. Thus the process to solicit public opinion is a process of education, a process to foster and improve democratic awareness, as well as a process to promote democratic and legal construction. The more the public express their ideas, the better the educational effects are.

For example, some people suggest finding a balance between citizens' labor rights and interests and that of employers. Some suggest that the government's supervision responsibility should be clarified in the law. Law-enforcement departments should be granted more effective power. The rigidity of law enforcement should be enhanced to protect laborers' legal rights and interests.

In a sense, the public's attention and participation in the law-making process is even more significant than the law-making itself.

(China Daily April 18, 2006)