Revised State Council Organic Law catches up with existing practices
The legislature (NPC) passed a revised State Council Organic Law at the conclusion of its annual session on Monday.
ICYDK: The law grants the State Council its authority and specifies its operational principles – that makes it one of China’s most important pieces of legislation.
- Enacted in 1982, the law hadn't been updated – until Monday.
The final version contained no material changes from the December draft. The main revisions include:
- Harmonizing the law with other laws enacted since 1982
- Enshrining the State Council's basic operating principles, related to Party leadership, law-based governance, and transparency
- Giving legal basis for the the premier's work meetings
Get smart: The changes to the law – including to enshrine Party leadership – should suprise no one, as they merely codify existing practices.
- Still, the revised law is a reminder of how the Party's power over the state has grown under Xi Jinping.