China speeds up drafting anti- corruption law

China plans to develop national legislation
to fight corruption, according to a report
delivered by top legislator Zhang Dejiang
Sunday.

The country will also work out revisions to
the Law on Administrative Supervision,
said Zhang, chairman of the National
People’s Congress (NPC) Standing
Committee, while delivering a work report
at the annual session of the top
legislature.
Making an anti-graft law is in line with a
decision on rule of law adopted by the
Communist Party of China Central
Committee in October last year.

The anti-graft legislation should be
introduced as quickly as possible and the
system of sanctions and prevention
improved with the goal being a
mechanism which means “officials dare
not, cannot and do not want to be
corrupt,” according to the decision.

The top legislature is mulling imposing
harsher punishment on those committing
crimes of embezzlement and bribery.
Criteria for imposing penalties on
criminals found guilty of corruption and
bribes would be modified.

Heavier
penalties will be imposed on those
offering bribes, according to a draft
amendment to the Criminal Law
submitted to the NPC Standing Committee
for a first reading in October last year.

The plan for making an anti-corruption
law is part of the NPC’s efforts to advance
legislation in key areas to promote
economic and social development.

China will improve legislation on
democracy, which includes revisions of
the Electoral Law for the National
People’s Congress and Local People’s
Congresses, the Organic Law of the Local
People’s Congresses and Local People’s
Governments, the Law on Deputies to the
National People’s Congress and Deputies
to Local People’s Congresses, and the Law
on Administrative Review.

Legislation concerning social issues, such
as community correction, anti-domestic
violence, traditional Chinese medicine,
charity and food safety, will be pushed
forward, Zhang said in the report.

The country will also advance legislation
concerning cultural, educational and
ecological issues.

Also included in the legislation plan are a
national security law, an anti-terrorism
law, a law on the management of
international NGOs in China, and a cyber-
security law, Zhang said.