The draft law on tangible property rights - also known as real
rights - was submitted to national legislators for review on
Friday.??
It forms a major part of a new civil code and fundamental
property legislation.
During the six-day session of the Standing Committee of the 10th
National
People's Congress (NPC), which opened on Friday, the lawmakers
will also discuss draft laws to protect public order and tackle
solid waste pollution.
Vice-Minister of Public Security Tian Qiyu explained the law on
public order offences was drafted to punish wrongdoing, better
protect citizens' rights and curb improper behavior by police
officers.
The legislators will hold their second round of discussions on
the draft bankruptcy law and the draft amendment to the electoral
law for the NPC and local people's congresses.
Real rights are property rights in general, such as real estate
rights. They can also be attached to moveable property.
"The real rights law will play an important role in clarifying
property ownership, making full use of property and protecting the
rights' owners," said Hu Kangsheng, vice-director of the NPC Law
Committee.
China will introduce preliminary elections for congress deputies
if the amendment to the electoral law is adopted.
NPC deputies and deputies to the people's congresses of
provinces, municipalities directly under the central government and
cities divided into districts are elected by the people's
congresses at the next lower level, according to the law.
Deputies to the people's congresses of counties, cities not
divided into districts, municipal districts, townships, minority
townships and towns are elected directly by their
constituencies.
The law says candidates could be nominated by political parties
or organizations or they could be nominated by groups of 10 or more
voters.
The list of candidates in direct election would then be
finalized through discussion by the electoral committee.
The draft amendment says the preliminary elections should be
held when the electoral committee cannot reach a consensus.
Huang Weiping, director of the Institute of Contemporary Chinese
Politics Research at Shenzhen University, said such a practice will
help avoid back-door deals on deciding official candidates.
"Progress in the gradual reform of the electoral system will
bring a brighter future for democracy," he said.
The law, adopted in 1979, covers elections to all levels of
legislative bodies - from the NPC to grassroots bodies - and was
amended in 1982, 1986 and 1995.
(China Daily October 23, 2004)