Revisions to Legislation Law would allow vote after just one meeting
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the National People's Congress on March 5. (Photo by Yusuke Hinata)
BEIJING -- China's parliament on Wednesday began considering legislative changes that would slash the time needed to pass laws in emergencies, a move that observers see as preparing for scenarios like a conflict over Taiwan.
Proposed amendments to the Legislation Law would let the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress put bills to a vote after just one meeting during an "emergency," shortening a process that usually takes half a year or more.
The revisions are expected to pass Monday, the last day of the session, changing the law for the first time in eight years.
This comes amid a string of legislation under Chinese President Xi Jinping that suggests preparations for a Taiwan crisis.
A law allowing former military personnel to be quickly called up to the front lines went into effect this month. Revisions are underway for legislation like the National Defense Mobilization Law, to ensure that personnel and resources can be assembled and redeployed as needed in wartime.
Legislation usually needs to go through three rounds of deliberation. The current law permits a vote after just two meetings when there is a "consensus in the main," or one meeting with a consensus on partial revisions to existing law.
The proposed amendments do not specify how to determine what constitutes an emergency. The National People's Congress is in principle China's supreme state authority, but in practice the Communist Party led by Xi wields power.
A paramilitary police officer stands guard outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5 following the opening session of the National People's Congress. © Reuters
The proposed revisions would add "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" as a guiding principle for lawmaking, alongside "Mao Zedong Thought" and "Deng Xiaoping Theory," likely further cementing Xi's influence. Jiang Zemin's "Three Represents" and fellow former Chinese leader Hu Jintao's "Scientific Outlook on Development" would also be added.
They would also incorporate "advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts" through "Chinese-style modernization," a development model touted by Xi at the party congress in October.
Earlier drafts had deleted "reform and opening to the outside world" and "taking economic development as the central task" from this section, but they were brought back in the current version. The about-face may have been spurred by a backlash from within the party amid concern that economic legislation could become less of a priority.
Party leadership has become more involved with the congress under Xi. Legislation stipulating that the Standing Committee meets once every two months has been revised to let it convene essentially at any time. The body passed the 2020 Hong Kong security law with two meetings in a little over a week.
Li Zhanshu, one of Xi's closest allies, was tapped to chair the standing committee in March 2018. He will be succeeded this month by Zhao Leji, who is also close to the president.
The Legislation Law was passed in 2000 under Jiang to improve transparency in the lawmaking process and showcase Beijing's "reform and opening-up" push, to make the country more attractive to foreign investment. It gave a boost to China's bid to join the World Trade Organization.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/China-People-s-Congress/China-weighs-emergency-fast-track-for-laws-as-Taiwan-tensions-mount
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