An article by Chinese President Xi Jinping on improving law-based epidemic prevention and control, and the national public health emergency management system will be published Sunday on the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
In the article, Xi, also General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for efforts to enhance legislation, law enforcement, judicature and law abidance in the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Efforts should be made to improve weak links and close loopholes that have been exposed during the outbreak and optimize the system and mechanism for the prevention and control of major epidemics, he stressed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) inspects the novel coronavirus pneumonia prevention and control work in Beijing, February 10, 2020. /Xinhua
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With the prevention and control of the outbreak at a crucial stage, it's vital to advance the fight in accordance with the law in a scientific and orderly way, he wrote in the article, urging CPC committees and governments at various levels to fulfill their duties in accordance with the law.
Xi called for careful evaluation on revising laws on infectious disease prevention and treatment and wildlife protection, inclusion of biosecurity in the system of national security, and enhanced efforts to make a biosecurity law.
China's top legislature the National People's Congress on Monday adopted a decision on thoroughly banning the illegal trading of wildlife and eliminating the consumption of wild animals to safeguard people's lives and health.
It will speed up reviewing the draft biosecurity law and start amending the law on wildlife protection and the animal epidemic prevention law this year, according to Zang Tiewei, a spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress.
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Xi's article also called for reforming the system for disease prevention and control, improving the emergency response mechanism for major epidemics, and optimizing a nationwide system to guarantee emergency supplies.
(With input from Xinhua)