China's supreme court will be busy this year as it begins to develop and provide legal interpretation of several new and far reaching laws that were passed earlier this month at China's annual legislative assembly.

"The Supreme People's Court will issue a series of key judicial explanations relating to the nation's economy and social justice this year," said Chief Justice Xiao Yang on Thursday.

Xiao said the legal interpretations of the newly adopted property law will be delivered "at an appropriate time," and will be designed to ensure that courts around the country fully understand the 247 articles in the law.

Sun Xianzhong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China had already seen an increase in the number of cases involving property disputes in recent years.

"There is no doubt that the number of such cases will rise greatly," once the law has been enacted, he said.

Sun said that some articles of the property law are vague and courts will have difficulty applying the law.

"Therefore, a judicial interpretation is really needed to help courts better handle the cases," Sun said.

Xiao said interpretations of the property law and the new tax law will be written after serious study and deliberation of proposals and suggestions that had been put forward by legislators and political advisors at the parliamentary session early this month.

China's landmark property law was adopted on March 16 after taking 13 years to wind its way through the legislative process.

The law will come in effect on Oct. 1 and stipulates that "the property of the state, the collective, the individual is protected by law, and no unit or individuals may infringe upon it".

This is the first time that equal protection of state and private properties has been enshrined in Chinese law, which analysts say marks a significant step in the country's efforts to further economic reforms and boost social harmony.
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(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2007)