The first plenary meeting of the State Council’s leading group for protection of minors was held via video link on May 28, stressing efforts to protect the physical and mental health of minors, and safeguard their legal rights in accordance with the law.

Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, who also is head of the leading group, addressed the meeting. State Councilors Wang Yong and Zhao Kezhi, who are deputy heads of the leading group, presided over the meeting and read the notice on the establishment of the leading group, respectively.

Noting the newly-revised Minors Protection Law is a solid legal guarantee for the protection of minors in the new era, Sun said the establishment of coordination mechanisms by governments at all levels is an important measure to implement the law.

She also called for efforts to raise public awareness of the law and promote its implementation.

Crimes against minors should be severely cracked down on, risk prevention and control systems on campus should be improved, bullying and violence among students should be handled in accordance with the law, and measures should be taken to prevent juvenile delinquency, the vice-premier said.

Management of cyberspace should be reinforced to protect the minors from harmful online content, such as pornography and violence.

The service system, assistance and protection mechanism for left-behind children in rural areas and children in difficult conditions also should be improved, she said.

Governments at all levels must give full play to the coordination mechanisms to strengthen overall planning, coordination, supervision and guidance to achieve tangible results in care for minors, the vice-premier urged.