Socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics established

Xinhua, March 10, 2011

A socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics has been established "on schedule" in China, top legislator Wu Bangguo announced Thursday, hailing it as a "major milestone" in the history of the development of the country's socialist democratic legal system.

"We now have a complete set of types of laws covering all areas of social relations, with basic and major laws of each type already in place, together with comprehensive corresponding administrative regulations and local statutes," Wu said while delivering a work report of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the parliament's annual session. [More about Wu Bangguo's report]

"Overall, the system of laws is scientific, harmonious and consistent," said Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

China's legislative goal of forming a socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics by 2010 was set forth at the Fifteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1997.

The goal had been attained on schedule, Wu said.

He said that by the end of 2010, China had enacted 236 laws, over 690 administrative regulations and more than 8,600 local statutes that are in force, and fully completed the work of reviewing current laws, administrative regulations and local statutes.

"There are laws to cover every area of economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development in the country," he told almost 3,000 legislators from across the country.

He said the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics is based on the situation and realities in China, complies with the requirements for reform, opening up and socialist modernization, and represents the will of the Party and the people.

The system is rooted in the Constitution and has several types of laws, including laws related to the Constitution, civil laws and commercial laws, as its backbone, he said.

The system has different levels of legal force, reflected in laws, administrative regulations, and local statutes, he said.

"The establishment of the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics is a major milestone in the history of the development of China's socialist democratic legal system and has great practical and far-reaching historical significance," he said.