Wu: Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics Established 'on Schedule'

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), delivers a work report of the Standing Committee of the NPC during the second plenary meeting of the Fourth Session of the 11th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2011. [Xinhua]

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.

"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.

The socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics is the legal foundation for permanently preserving the inherent qualities of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.

It is also a legal system that embodies the innovations and praxes of socialism with Chinese characteristics and a legal guarantee for the prosperity and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.

The CPC's leadership and the guidance of the socialist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics were critical to the establishment of the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics, according to the report.

In the process of forming the socialist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics, China has steadfastly proceeded from its conditions and realities, put people first and legislated for the people as well as maintained the unity of the socialist legal system, according to the report.

Wu stressed the vitality of laws lies in their enforcement.

"The formation of a socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics has generally solved the problem of having laws for people to follow," he said.

He said the problem of ensuring that laws are observed and strictly enforced and that lawbreakers are prosecuted has become more pronounced and pressing.

He vowed to uphold the authority and dignity of the Constitution and laws.

"No organization or individual has any privileges that transcend the Constitution and laws, and all violations of the Constitution and laws must be prosecuted," he said.

The top legislator also underlined the need to adhere to law-based administration and judicial justice and enhance the awareness of laws and the rule of law across society.