History has been made as China moves one step closer to having its first civil code
On March 15, China’s national legislature passed the General Provisions of the Civil Law , which will take effect on Oct 1. It is the opening chapter of a civil code, to be enacted in 2020.
The move is seen as a big step forward in the legal system that will lead to better protection of the civil activities of society in China.
“Napoleon once said his glory lay not in his military achievements, but the civil code that would rule after his death,” Qiao Xiaoyang, a National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee member and head of the NPC Law Committee, told Xinhua News Agency.
“Why is the civil code important? Because the Constitution (憲法) sets limits for public power, while the civil code upholds (維護) private rights,” he said.
The General Provisions cover comprehensive (全面的) areas of legal rules concerning people’s civil life. Below, Teens has picked some of the highlights.
Protection of personal information
The General Provisions state that no individual shall illegally collect, use, process and transmit personal information, nor should they illegally trade, distribute (散佈) or disclose any personal information.
Protection of data and virtual properties are also clarified.。
The General Provisions have been hailed by experts as a move that reflects the legal trend of respecting individuals’ privacy and their legal rights in the era of the Internet and big data.
Samaritans (好心人) to be encouraged
It’s good when people help others in emergencies. However, in some cases, those who have tried to help others have been blamed for causing their injuries. Possible legal problems have also stopped many from stepping in to help.
However, the General Provisions fully protect Samaritans. Under a new law, people are not responsible if they injure someone by mistake that they help during an emergency.
Xu An, an NPC deputy from Jiangsu province, told China Daily that protecting Samaritans in some way will encourage people to help others – and as such is important in upholding China’s traditional values.
History has been made as China moves one step closer to having its first civil code
On March 15, China’s national legislature passed the General Provisions of the Civil Law , which will take effect on Oct 1. It is the opening chapter of a civil code, to be enacted in 2020.
The move is seen as a big step forward in the legal system that will lead to better protection of the civil activities of society in China.
“Napoleon once said his glory lay not in his military achievements, but the civil code that would rule after his death,” Qiao Xiaoyang, a National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee member and head of the NPC Law Committee, told Xinhua News Agency.
“Why is the civil code important? Because the Constitution (憲法) sets limits for public power, while the civil code upholds (維護) private rights,” he said.
The General Provisions cover comprehensive (全面的) areas of legal rules concerning people’s civil life. Below, Teens has picked some of the highlights.
Protection of personal information
The General Provisions state that no individual shall illegally collect, use, process and transmit personal information, nor should they illegally trade, distribute (散佈) or disclose any personal information.
Protection of data and virtual properties are also clarified.。
The General Provisions have been hailed by experts as a move that reflects the legal trend of respecting individuals’ privacy and their legal rights in the era of the Internet and big data.
Samaritans (好心人) to be encouraged
It’s good when people help others in emergencies. However, in some cases, those who have tried to help others have been blamed for causing their injuries. Possible legal problems have also stopped many from stepping in to help.
However, the General Provisions fully protect Samaritans. Under a new law, people are not responsible if they injure someone by mistake that they help during an emergency.
Xu An, an NPC deputy from Jiangsu province, told China Daily that protecting Samaritans in some way will encourage people to help others – and as such is important in upholding China’s traditional values.