China Data Supplement December 2006

China aktuell Data Supplement – PRC, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Taiwan 59
murder and gang crimes for instance, by procuratorates at all
levels. As of 1 October, 2007, procurators will make real-time
videos of all interrogations concerning job-related crimes, said
sources with the SPP. (XNA, 20 Dec 06)
China specifies punishments of government officials in production
safety.
Government officials will face warnings, demotions, dismissal and
prosecution for transgressions in production safety, according to
new rules issued on 22 November 2006. "Severe penalties are
needed to tackle disorder in production safety," said Li Yizhong,
director of China's State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS). The
interim rules, jointly issued by the SAWS and the Ministry of
Supervision, define 25 types of punishable acts by government
officials and 18 types by executives of state-owned businesses,
including:
-- approving projects that do not meet safety requirements;
-- failure to address unsafe production activities;
-- intervention in the procurement of safety equipment and facilities;
-- failure to deal with identified major hazards, which later lead to
accidents;
-- covering up production accidents, failure to provide true reports
and delaying reports of production accidents;
-- obstructing investigations into production accidents;
-- personally or allowing their family members to hold stakes in coal
mines or running businesses in production safety areas; and
-- executives allowing their businesses to continue operation after
their licenses have been revoked or they have been ordered to stop
production.
"Some regional governments value economic growth far above
safety," said Vice-Minister of Supervision Chen Changzhi. "Lax law
enforcement has become a ubiquitous problem." He said some
leading cadres and government functionaries did not faithfully carry
out their duties. Some abused power for personal gain and acted as
shields for illegal activities. "There is no lack of such instances in the
five production safety accidents the Ministry of Supervision has
handled this year," said Chen. Li Yizhong was hopeful the rules will
intensify the crackdown on corruption and prevent production
accidents. Compared with September, China reported a
26.1-percent rise in coal mine accidents and a 44.4-percent rise in
deaths from coal mine accidents in October. "The situation of
production safety still allows for no optimism," said Li. (XNA, 22 Nov
06; full text of the rules: RMRB, 23 Nov 06)
Addenda
Anti-Money Laundering Law of the People’s Republic of China,
adopted at the 24th meeting of the 10th NPC Standing Committee
on 31 October 2006. The law will come into effect on 1 January
2007.
(Presidential Decree No. 56, signed by State President Hu Jintao
on 31 October 2006) The law consists of seven chapters with 37
articles. (Full text of the law: RMRB, 14 Nov 06)
Law on Specialized Peasants Cooperatives,
adopted at the 24th meeting of the 10th NPC Standing Committee
on 31 October 2006. This law will become effective as of 1 July
2007. (Presidential Decree No. 57, signed by State President Hu
Jintao on 31 October 2006) (Full text: RMRB, 15 Dec 06) This law
consists of nine chapters with 56 articles.
Decision on Amending the Law on Supervising and Managing the
Banking Industry,
adopted at the 24th meeting of the 10th NPC Standing Committee
on 31 October 2006. The amendment to the law on banking
regulation and supervision will come into effect on 1 January 2007.
(Presidential Decree No. 58, signed by State President Hu Jintao on
31 October 2006) (RMRB, 1 Nov 06; full text of the revised law:
RMRB, 14 Nov 06)
Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Management
of Foreign-funded Banks, approved at the 155th executive meeting
of the State Council on 8 November. The regulations will take effect
on 11 December. (Decree No.478 of the PRC State Council, signed
by Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council, on 11 November
2006) (Full text of the regulations: RMRB, 16 Nov 06) The
regulations consist of seven chapters with 73 articles.