Second, centering on the overall work of the Party and the country, we strengthened legislation in key areas to meet the expectations of our people.

In this new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, in response to the profound and complex changes in the international landscape and the rapid development of the cause of the Party and the country, our legislative work moved into a new stage of accelerated development, marked by a large volume of expedited and higher-standard legislation that covers a wide range of areas.

We strengthened the enactment and revision of public health laws.

Responding to the sudden outbreak of Covid-19 and targeting the legal weaknesses exposed in our fight against the epidemic, we focused on developing a better coordinated and interconnected legal system and sped up the enactment and revision of laws to strengthen the rule of law with regard to public health. Up to now we have completed the revision of the Law on Animal Epidemic Prevention along with five other pieces of legislation. By the end of this year, we will have completed a further 11 objectives including revising the Wildlife Protection Law, the Practicing Physicians Law, and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases.

By improving relevant laws, raising legal awareness, and promoting greater compliance, we worked to ensure that the release of information on Covid-19, the allocation of emergency supplies, the handling of social issues and disputes, and the maintenance of order in the market were all carried out in accordance with the law, thus using the force of law to protect the health and safety of our people.

We accelerated legislation on national security.

With the world currently undergoing changes of a magnitude not seen in a century, safeguarding national security has never been more urgent. The Standing Committee adopted a holistic approach to national security and accelerated national security legislation in key areas. We formulated the Biosecurity Law and the Export Control Law, revised the Archives Law, and deliberated draft revisions of the Maritime Traffic Safety Law, the draft of a data security law, and the draft of a personal information protection law. As these laws cover economic security, resource security, nuclear security, ecological security, information security, and the protection of overseas interests, they are of critical importance for our country in tackling risks and challenges, and they address major issues of great concern to the public.

In order to implement Xi Jinping's thinking on strengthening the military, and respond to the needs of national defense and military development in the new era, we revised the National Defense Law and the Law on the People's Armed Police Force, formulated the Coast Guard Law and the Veterans Support Law, and deliberated the draft of a law on the protection of the status, rights, and interests of military personnel, along with the draft revisions of the Military Service Law and the Military Facilities Protection Law. This work has provided legal safeguards for both the territorial and military security of our country and the safety of our people.

We carried out legislative work to promote high-quality development and high-standard opening up.

We formulated the Law on Urban Maintenance and Development Tax and the Deed Transfer Tax Law, revised the Patent Law and the Copyright Law, and deliberated the drafts of a rural revitalization promotion law, a stamp duty law, and a Hainan free trade port law. We made decisions on establishing an intellectual property rights court in the Hainan free trade port and a financial court in Beijing. This legislation, covering as it does fiscal and financial affairs, intellectual property protection, agricultural and rural development, and opening up, is designed to provide legal safeguards for promoting a change in the quality, efficiency, and drivers of economic development.

Establishing the Hainan pilot free trade zone and free trade port is a strategic move taken by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, to push for high-standard opening up in the new era. By formulating a free trade port law which embodies Chinese characteristics, complies with international practice, and responds to the call of the times, we aim to establish a legal framework for this new platform, which will promote high-standard opening up by creating a better business environment and strengthening its leading role as a free trade port.

We intensified legislation with regard to social development and governance.

We passed Amendment XI to the Criminal Law, revised the Law on the Protection of Minors, the Law on Preventing Juvenile Delinquency, and the Administrative Penalty Law, and deliberated the drafts of an anti-food waste law, an anti-organized crime law, a legal aid law, and a family education law, along with the draft revisions to the Education Law. In step with developments at home and abroad, these achievements conform to our people's aspiration for a better life, and provide legal support for a dynamic and orderly social environment.

For example, Criminal Law Amendment XI is a revision to the Criminal Law that has drawn the greatest public attention in recent years. The amendment makes additions or revisions to 47 articles, and covers workplace safety, food and drugs, order in the financial sector, the business environment, public health, biosafety and biosecurity, environmental protection, and other areas. It is a direct response to the new developments and issues of great public concern, such as education- and employment-related identity theft, assaults on bus drivers, throwing objects from a height, illegal fund raising, and the age of criminal responsibility.

The draft anti-food waste law carries forward traditional Chinese virtues and calls for socially conscious, healthy, rational, and eco-friendly modes of consumer spending. With the focus on specific areas and special issues, we conducted legislative work in a more targeted and precise manner. This has developed a new legislative approach and pathway, and shows that our legislative work is becoming more specialized and issue-specific.

We continued to improve ecological and environmental protection laws.

Aiming to put into practice Xi Jinping's thinking on promoting ecological progress, we continued to champion integrated innovation in our ecological and environmental protection laws. The current NPC Standing Committee has formulated or revised 12 laws such as the Yangtze River Protection Law, the Law on the Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution, and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste, adopted one resolution, and is currently deliberating the draft wetlands protection law. We put in place the strictest systems and the most rigorous legislation in order to draw an ecological red line to protect our clear waters and green mountains.

The Yangtze River Protection Law was passed in December 2020. As the first specialized law covering the whole river basin, this law fully reflects our commitment to well-coordinated environmental protection and over- development prevention. A full year was spent drafting the law, with three deliberations taking place the following year. The Standing Committee also convened a symposium on its implementation in a timely fashion. All of these steps are designed to advance the protection of this vitally important waterway in accordance with the law for the benefit of our people and future generations, so that the Yangtze Economic Belt becomes a key model for prioritizing ecological conservation and boosting green development, a major channel for facilitating domestic and international economic circulation, and a major force for catalyzing high-quality development.

We worked effectively to implement the Civil Code.

The Civil Code is the first piece of legislation to carry the title of code that has been enacted since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The Code is a fundamental law in the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics that serves to build the legal foundation, stabilize expectations, and yield long-term benefits. The Standing Committee made effective preparations for its implementation and pushed for revisions and improvements to supporting laws, regulations, and judicial interpretations. We thoroughly explained the new regulations, concepts, and principles in the Civil Code, and led the way in publicizing, promoting, and ensuring its implementation, so that this law is thoroughly observed throughout society and well received by the people.