CHINA PASSES REVISED EMERGENCY RESPONSE LAW TO IMPROVE PROTECTION FOR LIVES, PROPERTY

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's top legislative body passed a revised emergency response law on Friday, the official Xinhua news agency reported, with the aim of improved protection for lives and property.

Extreme weather events have tested China's emergency response in recent years as it faces floods and drought, while disasters such as earthquakes have challenged the capabilities of local officials especially in remote and rural areas.

The revised law, which will take effect from Nov. 1, was passed by the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), Xinhua reported.

China's top legislator Zhao Leji said the new law will help "improve the ability to prevent and respond to emergencies and better protect people's lives and property," Xinhua quoted him as saying at the end of an NPC standing committee session.

The emergency response law, originally enacted in 2007, is to prevent and reduce emergencies as well as to mitigate and eliminate serious social hazards.

(Reporting by Liz Lee and Ethan Wang; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Alexander Smith)

2024-06-28T10:43:59Z dg43tfdfdgfd