Update (Feb. 24, 2017): By a vote of 156-0, with one abstention, the NPCSC approved the revised Red Cross Society Law, which will take effect on May 8, 2017, the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.
By a vote of 156–1, the NPCSC also passed an amendment to the Enterprise Income Tax Law (Amendment), effective today. The change made by the Amendment is discussed below. Zhang Tianli, an official with the Ministry of Finance, stated at a press conference today that the Amendment would retroactively apply to charitable donations made before today but after September 1, 2016, when the Charity Law came into force. Zhang also said that the State Council would soon amend relevant regulations to implement the Amendment.
The NPCSC today also approved three cabinet appointments. He Lifeng was promoted from Deputy Director to Director of the National Development and Reform Commission. Zhong Nan was appointed Minister of Commerce; he was a vice commerce minister and the Ministry’s International Trade Representative. Bloomberg profiles the two in this article. Lastly, Zhang Jun was appointed Minister of Justice. Before heading the Justice Ministry—which, among other duties, oversees China’s lawyers, prisons, and legal aid—Zhang was a Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection. He also twice served as a Vice President of the Supreme People’s Court. He has a Doctorate in Criminal Law.
We expect the NPCSC to solicit public comments on the draft revision to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law next week. The NPC’s annual plenary session will open on March 5, and we’ll soon post a preview of our coverage of the session.
Yesterday the 12th NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC) opened its 26th session, where the following three bills were submitted for deliberation. The following is a summary of the content of these legislations based on multiple media reports.
Continue reading “26th Session Watch Pt. 2: A Closer Look at the Three Bills Under Review (UPDATED)”