In addition to central and provincial-level government bodies and legislatures, all Chinese organizations and individuals have been granted the right to question any law or regulation that they believe may contradict the Constitution and state laws.

This provision is contained in a newly-amended procedural law on the examination and approval of administrative, local and provincial-level laws and regulations. The law was approved Monday, at the 40th meeting of the chairperson and vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The aim of the new procedural regulation is to preserve the integrity of the country's legal system, by further improving mechanisms for checking and approving laws, regulations and legal opinions.

The correction of a law or regulation that is thought to be in contradiction with the Constitution and state laws involves two or three steps: 1. consultation with the lawmaker; 2. an application is sent to the relevant committee requesting correction; 3. if the law-making institution declines to make the correction, the matter can be submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for a final decision.

The meeting also approved a procedural regulation concerning the procedure for examining and approving judicial opinions.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2005)