On the Expansion and Realization of the Right to Environmental Information in Environmental Protection Supervision

As an innovation in the environmental governance system that breaks the traditional hierarchical structure, environmental protection supervision has not only played a significant role in protecting tangible environmental rights but also expanded the basic scope of the right to environmental information — part of procedural environmental rights. In the supervision of environmental protection,the objects of the right to environmental information and the subjects of the obligation to provide enviro...     

How Much Surplus Labor Is in the Countryside?

The long-held belief of an inexhaustible surplus of labor in rural areas of China is fading fast.Amid worries over its aging popula- tion,China is confronted with serious challenges to sustain its labor supply so as to shore up its growing economy.How to fur- ther transfer the remaining surplus labor into cities and how to improve the quality of Chinese laborers are questions the country faces.The Guangming Daily,a newspaper based in Beijing,con- ducted an interview with Cai Fang,an economist and Director of the Institute of Population and Labor Economics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,to delve into China's labor dilemma.Cai gave his opinions in the following excerpts:     

Free Press:Watchdog Not Lapdog

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, has for the second time deliberated on the new version of the Emergency Response Law. The new version deletes the provision under which news media are barred from reporting on emergencies or releasing information concerning emergency events without authorization from relevant authorities. The amended version of this law gives more credence to public opinion, and the growing role of Chinese citizens in legislation is widely acclaimed as a more democratic approach by the government. China's renowned legal professor, Cai Dingjian, Director of the Constitutionalism Research Institute of China University of Political Science and Law, recently commented on the decision to amend this law and on the social effect of mass media. In an interview with The Economic Observer, a leading Chinese business weekly, Cai said that China's steady social transformation demands a free and responsible press in order to secure democratic rights for the people. Excerpts:     

Pay Attention to Vulnerable Groups & Safeguard Citizens'''' Marriage, Family Rights——On New Marriage Law

Marriage and family remain a universal and eternal subject of study. It covers law, ethics, sociology, psychology and even economics. Law and ethics play the most outstanding role in it. Family ethics and moral standards constitute an important part of social ethical system while marriage and family constitute part of the legal system nearest to the life of the common people. Since the founding of New China, the Party and the State have paid full attention to the marriage and family system. Compared with other laws, the law about marriage and family was the first to be legislated. On May 1, 1950, New China's first law, the 1950 version of Marriage Law, was promulgated. Commenting on the legal document, Chairman Mao Zedong had this to say: Marriage law concerns     

ANCIENT WISDOM IN MODERN PRESCRIPTION

New policies and laws help traditional Chinese medicine internationalize The practice of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)began when people became aware of the efficacy of some plants in treating illnesses and began to use them in a hit-or-miss way.Millenniums later,TCM has become an institutionalized medical system applied worldwide,using state-of-the-art technology such as remote sensing and a geographic information system.     

How Much Can Real-Name Registration Help Standardize UAV Flying?

正Recently,the Civil Aviation Administration of China(CAAC)released regulations that require real-name registration for employing unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs).The regulations stipulate that owners of UAVs which weigh more than 250 grams will have to register their personal information and information about their vehicles on an online system from June 1.UAV manufacturers are also required to     

Getting the System Right

The Communist Party of China recently announced an ambitious program to officially install a term-of-office system, an official exchange mechanism, and an avoidance scheme in the CPC and government offices as part of the Party's efforts to improve its operating system. Zhang Rongchen, a commentator with the Studies Times, run by the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, explains the significance of the move.     

500-Year-Old "Web Site

THE 21st century is popularly known as the information era. From the global network of postal services through to the internet, and from the boundless universe to human genes, omnipresent information dominates the progress of mankind today and influences everyone's lives. On retracing our progress, however, it transpires that this information age has an ancient and remote antecedent.The ancient Chinese started construction of a primitive information network 3,000 years ago. By the third cent…     

Breakthroughs in Judicial Reform

IN 2013,China launched a series of impressive reforms in its judicial field.These included:deepening judicial publicity to guarantee people’s rights to information and develop transparency;improving the judicial accountability system to ensure the independent exercise of jurisdiction and procuratorial power,letting the inquisitor judge and the adjudicator take charge;and abolishing the system of re-education through labor as well as improving laws on punishment and correction of crimes and delinquencies,thereby manifesting the judicial assurance of human rights.By means of these reforms,China’s judicial system has realized new breakthroughs,providing strong support for the country to build a fair,efficient and authoritative socialist judiciary.     

On China＇s Protection of Citizens＇ Right to Be Informed and Construction of Government Information Publicity System

I. The Unfolding Situation of the Philosophy of Right to Be Informed in China and Early Construction of Government Information Publicity System The origin of the thought,known as China’s protection of right to be informed and the construction of government information publicity system     

Protection of Rights of Women and Children to Promote Development of the Cause of Human Rights

正The rights of women and children are an important part of human rights.China consistently adheres to the basic national policy of equality between men and women and the principle of priority for children,and keeps improving the legal system,policy system,work system and organizational system for promoting the development of women and protecting the rights and interests of women and children.The third round     

Focus

Personal Information Protection Law Under Legislative Procedure Following the recently-promulgated E-signature Law, a Personal Information Protection Law is currently undergoing the legislative process. The law aims to protect Internet users' privacy, and their personal information, such as phone numbers, addresses and professions. The law also encompasses regulations governing the use of closed-circuit television cameras in public places and the abuse of video recording equipment in private investigations. In addition, regulations on the publishing of government information and an information security law are soon to be promulgated.     

Economic Optimism

Ever since January 14 when the Chinese Government unveiled plans to revamp the steel and automobile sectors, the country has embarked on an ambitious and comprehensive scheme of restructuring some of its key industries. This was done in an effort to keep the economy on track amid an adverse economic situation. Eight other sectors have been added into this revitalization package, ranging from electronics and information technologies to textiles, shipbuilding and petrochemicals,     

Minors＇ Rights： Right to Privacy vs. Right to Know

I. An Overview of the Right of Privacy for Minors and Relevant Obligee＇s Right to Learn Their Privacy
The right to privacy has been recognized as an important personal right by China＇s practitioners and theorists of law although it is not an independent part of the Civil Law. In general, the right of privacy refers to the ＂right of the natural person to enjoy tranquility of private life and his or her right not to allow other persons to invade, learn, use, reveal or publish the kind of information relevant to his private life.＂     

Important Guarantee for The Basic Rights of Citizens——China's State compensation system

A common folk can sue an official? This was hardly possible in the past in China where the old feudalistic tradition dies hard. But this is really possible today when the common people cannot only sue officials and also get compensation if they are wronged. State compensation system It would be inevitable for government functionaries to cause damages to some citizens, legal persons or other organizations in the course of their management of the society. That is why China has established a State compensation system to compensate for the damages to citizens, legal persons and other organizations caused by government functionaries in exercising their power.     

Finding the Best Teachers for Schools of Tibetan Buddhism

AS the pinnacle of domestic education in Tibetan Buddhism,the Beijing-based China Advanced Institute of Tibetan Buddhism is highly influential in all matters relating to the religion. Starting in 2006,the institute voted to launch an evaluation and qualification system for sutra lecturers,the professor-equivalents of the institute. On October 31 last year,the first session of the first evaluation committee was convened,marking an important step toward instituting an academic title system for the religion.     

In the Shadow of Mental Illness

<正>A flawed education system and changes to families are pushing young people over the precipice of sanity Jun Cai from a village in central China’s Hunan Province was a model student.     

20 Years of Administrative Case Trial and Human Rights Protection

It is already 20 years since the people's courts in China began to accept and hear administrative cases. Thanks to the common efforts by theoretical circles, legislative and judicial departments, the system of administrative hearing has been constantly improved and the contingent of judges for administrative cases has been expanding. The system has played an increasingly important role in safeguarding social stability, ensuring long-term peace and security, protecting the lawful rights and interests of the citizens and enhancing their awareness of law and rights.     

The Myth of a High Savings Rate

In an attempt to entice consumers to save less and spend more, China has focused on perfecting its social security system, reforming taxation and dividend-sharing proportion between the government and state-owned enterprises. Liu Yuhui, Director of the China Economy Appraisal and Rating Center at the Institute of Finance and Banking, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, offered his insights in an Economic Observer article. Edited excerpts follow