(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-29 15:25

Related readings: China adopts first anti-drug law China revises law to encourage scientific innovation China adopts amendment to road traffic law Individual income tax threshold raised

China's top legislature approved Saturday the nomination of the new minister of commerce and adopted a number of bills, including one to raise the country's monthly individual income tax levy threshold.

Lawmakers voted to approve the nomination of Chen Deming, former governor of Shaanxi Province, as the country's new minister of commerce. Chen, born in 1949, replaces 58-year-old Bo Xilai, who has been appointed Communist Party chief of southwestern China's Chongqing municipality.

The amendment to the law on individual income tax raises the country's monthly individual income tax levy threshold from the current 1,600 yuan (US$218) to 2,000 yuan.

The increase was believed to relieve the economic burden of medium- and low-income earners amid the recent price increase of some goods. The amendment will take effect on March 1, 2008.

China's law on individual income tax has been amended three times over the past five years. In October, 2005, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) changed the law to raise the individual income tax levy threshold from 800 yuan to 1,600.

Last June, the legislature authorized the State Council to suspend or cut the 20-percent tax on interest earned on personal savings according to economic and social situations.

Chen Deming [cnsphoto]

"The three amendments were made to meet the increase of people's living expenses and aimed at easing the tax burden of medium- and low-income families," Wu Bangguo, NPC Standing Committee chairman, said at the closing session.

Lawmakers also voted to adopt a decision on issues relating to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and for forming the HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012 and on issues relating to universal suffrage.

Wu said that the adoption of the methods is an important decision made by the NPC Standing Committee on the issues concerning the development of Hong Kong's political system.

He said the decision is significant to comprehensively implement the principle of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing the HKSAR," and the high degree of autonomy, as well as the HKSAR Basic Law.

It will also ensure Hong Kong's democratic system to develop in line with the HKSAR Basic Law and in a gradual, progressive and healthy way, and maintain and promote long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, Wu said.

According to the methods, the NPC Standing Committee approved that appropriate amendments may be made to the specific method for selecting the fourth HKSAR chief executive and the specific method for forming the fifth term HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012.

The committee also decided that the election of the fifth HKSAR chief executive in the year 2017 may be implemented by the method of universal suffrage.

After the chief executive is selected by universal suffrage, the election of the HKSAR Legislative Council may be implemented by the method of electing all the members by universal suffrage.

The committee decided that the election of the fourth HKSAR Chief Executive in the year 2012 shall not be implemented by the method of universal suffrage. The election of the fifth term HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012 shall not be implemented by the method of electing all the members by universal suffrage.

The lawmakers also voted to adopt a draft law on labor dispute mediation and arbitration and the country's first anti-drug law.

According to NPC statistics, labor dispute cases in China are continuously increasing in recent years. Statistics show that labor dispute arbitration organizations at various levels dealt with 1.72 million labor dispute cases involving 5.32 million employees from 1987 to the end of 2005, with a growth rate of 27.3 percent annually.

Wu said that the law on labor dispute mediation and arbitration is another important law aiming at improving China's labor system following the adoption of the labor contract law and the law on employment promotion earlier this year.

According to the law, corporate itself is entitled to establish labor mediation committee to solve the labor disputes occurred in its own corporate so as to solve disputes at grassroots level. The corporate labor mediation committee should consist of employees and representatives of managerial level.

Wu said the law, which aims to solve labor disputes justly and timely, will better protect employees' interests and help promote harmonious labor relations.

The anti-drug law, which will take effect on June, 1, 2008, is aimed at curbing drug-related crimes and reduce the growing number of users, especially under-aged addicts.

The law says that owners and managers of discos, bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues are responsible to report drug takers to the police or will be punished otherwise.

According to the law, drug addicts might be allowed to recover in their communities in a limited period of three years, rather than being confined to rehabilitation centers as the current drug control regulation requires.

It says that "drug-addicted minors under 16, pregnant women and those who breast-feed babies less than one year old are not appropriate for compulsive isolated drug rehabilitation."

Other law bills adopted at the session include a draft amendment to the law on road transportation safety, a draft revision of the law on science and technology progress, and a draft amendment to the law on cultural relic protection.