Law takes effect to protect disabled people

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-7-1  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

SEVERAL new Chinese laws and regulations, including the amended Law on Protection of the Disabled, will take effect from today.

The amendment is aimed at improving protection of the country's more than 83 million disabled people ahead of the 2008 Paralympic Games in September.

"Caring for the disabled is a sign of social progress and an important part of building a harmonious society," China's top legislator, Wu Bangguo, told a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in April. "It showcases the country's avowed respect for human rights in its constitution."

The amendment adds details about financial support, medical care and rehabilitation services for the disabled, along with preferential policies on jobs and taxes.

Other laws taking effect today include a statute to protect historical sites, which spells out punishment for those who damage them.

And a new regulation in Beijing details fines of up to 200,000 yuan (US$28,600) for those who engage in price-gouging and making or selling fake goods after emergencies. It is designed to limit the damage after disasters.

A measure dealing with house registrations will also ensure the legal rights of residents, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.