209 cities granted devolved power

Over 200 cities have been granted powers to make local laws since a revision to the Legislation Law was adopted about a year ago, according to the top legislature's legal department.

The figure represents 77.1 percent of the 271 cities and autonomous prefectures promised devolved powers under the revision, said a spokesperson for the National People's Congress Standing Committee's Commission for Legislative Affairs on Wednesday.

All the 271 will be given powers to enact their own laws by the middle of the year, according to the commission.

Only 49 cities had such powers before China's national legislators adopted a revision to the Legislation Law on March 15 last year.

The revision allows the cities to enact local laws about "rural and urban development and management, environmental protection, and preservation of historical heritage and cultural values."

It entrusts provincial legislatures to determine how and when the cities will be granted the power.

So far, six newly-empowered cities have introduced their own laws. The laws created by Zhenjiang, Foshan, Sanya, Suzhou, Wenzhou and Yancheng mainly involve protection of scenic spots, historical artifacts and urban landscaping. Endi