Transportation law enforcement to improve

The State Council General Office issued a circular on Dec 23 to make sure that transportation law enforcement officers will further avoid abuse of power, fulfill their duties and issue penalties in accordance with the country's relevant laws and regulations.

The circular required localities and departments involved to align their practices with the updated requirements offered by a recently approved guidance list for comprehensive administrative law enforcement targeting transportation.

Approved earlier by the State Council, China's Cabinet, the list standardizes means by which regulators can dole out administrative penalties and handle compulsory administrative matters in the field of transportation in accordance with laws and administrative regulations.

It clearly defines the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies, and it aims to make sure the regulations are honored with no partiality across the country.

Further, it stresses the need to promote reform in administrative law enforcement in the transportation field, holistically plan and allocate administrative law enforcement functions and resources.

Officers are asked to follow the list to mitigate the problem of unnecessary, overlapping law enforcement by various departments over the same specific case, and to make their actions standardized, fair and civilized.

The list provides categories for administrative punishments and compulsory administrative matters stipulated in laws and regulations in the transportation sector.

Subject matters no longer supported by laws and no longer eligible for administrative law enforcement should be annulled, the circular said.

Investigation in terms of legality, reasonability and necessity in accordance with related laws should be conducted for subject matters that have been prepared to be added or retained, according to the circular.

For matters on the list, law enforcement should also be streamlined, the circular said.

When designing procedures for such law enforcement, potential ambiguity or discrimination should be mitigated or avoided to make sure misbehaviors of the same nature and conditions receive impartial punishment, the circular said.

Cooperation and coordination among departments should be reinforced, and as the reform advances, administrative law enforcement actions, processes and results should be traceable in the future, it said.

Interministerial system for youth sports gets nod

A proposal to introduce an interministerial conference focused on promoting sports among youth has been approved by the State Council, according to a circular issued by the State Council General Office on Dec 22.

The conference serves to strengthen the overall planning, coordination and guidance over sports among children, and it aims to promote the development of sports and education in China.

The conference will be led by the General Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Education and the General Administration of Sport of China.

Member agencies of the conference also include the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance.

Under the moderation of the conference, departments will help perfect the development trajectories of youth sports, enhance the fulfillment of responsibilities undertaken by governments at various levels and address problems and institutional barriers. They are tasked with studying how to support and promote youth sports, set out necessary policies and measures or propose policy suggestions and coordinate the implementation of policies.