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A law that takes 20 years to get passed must be one both important and controversial.

The Supervision Law of the Standing Committees of People's Congresses at Various Levels, which was formally adopted on Sunday to help lawmakers supervise the government, is deservedly such a law.

It was brewed in the late 1980s, but a draft version was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for a first reading only in August 2002. It had to undergo four rounds of discussion and revision before finally coming out this week.

The law is important because it legally reinforces the power of the national legislature to oversee administrative power.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Apart from its law-making functions, the People's Congress exists to prevent the abuse of administrative power. This law gives it the much-needed authority to do so.

As President Hu Jintao has said, the new legislation will promote democracy and the rule of law.

The country's leadership is aware of the importance of supervision by people's congresses. Two years ago, Hu called for the nation to support the people's congresses at all levels to supervise the government.

The new legislation is in line with and a culmination of the nation's consistent commitment to the rule of law.

No institution is above the law. Government offices must set their activities within the framework of law and subject themselves to external supervision.

The fact that it takes 20 years to make the supervision law shows how difficult it is to fully bring out the role of the People's Congress to oversee the government.

The long process of legislation must have involved controversies that have been gradually resolved by relevant interest groups.

The legislation itself signals that society as a whole has recognized the importance of putting the government under effective scrutiny. A consensus has been reached and action taken.

The change is a result of China's gradual development of democracy.

The People's Congress used to be considered weak before administrative power. The reasons are complicated but, basically, lack of respect from the government or legal backing to safeguard its role explains its predicament. Now, the new law is expected to enhance the body's effectiveness. With this backup, legislators must better carry out their duty to live up to their name of "people's deputies."

(China Daily August 29, 2006)