New law aims to ensure timely, accurate reporting on emergencies

Lawmakers in China voted on Friday to adopt a law on emergency response, which requires governments to promptly disclose relevant information and decisions and prohibits the concealment of information or obstructing others from reporting information.

As the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, concluded its 10th session, the newly revised law was adopted at the closing meeting.

The law will officially come into effect in November.

According to Hou Xiaoguang, an official at the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, the law further clarifies the regulations regarding the reporting and release of information in emergency response situations.

Hou said in a written response to media that the law requires relevant governments and departments to promptly release to the public information, decisions, orders, and measures related to emergencies.

In cases where false or incomplete information has been released, accurate information must be promptly released to clarify the situation.

Additionally, the law supports news media in conducting interviews, reporting, and exercising public oversight.

It also requires news media to ensure their reporting on emergencies is timely, accurate, objective, and impartial, according to the official.

The law prohibits any delays, falsifications, concealments, omissions, or instructions to others to do so. And it forbids obstructing others from reporting information.