OIL PROTECTION: China's top legislature has started reviewing in late June for the third time a draft law on the protection of oil and natural gas pipelines. The draft aims at making a tailored regulation to protect its offshore pipelines. It requires pipeline companies to strengthen safety measures in constructing pipelines, have regular patrols of pipelines and place warning signs near pipelines. The new rules come at a time when the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has prompted countries worldwide to review the protection of natural resources (XINHUA)

Protecting offshore pipelines

China's top legislature is reviewing for the third time a draft law on the protection of oil and natural gas pipelines. The draft aims at drafting a specific regulation to protect its offshore pipelines. It requires pipeline companies to strengthen safety measures in constructing pipelines, have regular patrols of pipelines and place warning signs near pipelines. The new regulations come at a time when the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has prompted countries worldwide to review the protection of natural resources.

Insiders said that the new regulation in the draft law indicates that the authorities are drawing lessons from the Gulf oil spill and considering improved measures for offshore natural resources. China needs to make efforts to improve standards in building and operating offshore pipelines, so as to keep pace with the accelerated growth of offshore oil and gas sectors, according to Chen Weidong, chief energy researcher with the Energy Research Institute affiliated to China National Offshore Oil Corp. China built its first offshore oil and gas pipelines in the early 1980s, when it began to develop oil and gas fields at sea.

Website: http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2010-04/26/content_1592981.htm

Salary increases

The 2010 wage guideline in Beijing was released on July 7, showing an average salary jump of 11 percent.

The wage guideline, which includes an average, upper and lower level, is an annual requirement from the government to enterprises to raise employee salaries.

The guidelines said in 2010 all enterprises in Beijing must raise wages by between the lower and upper limits of 3 and 16 percent.

According to the Beijing Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, only enterprises that can prove they were affected by the financial crisis can select a different rate, after negotiation with trade unions. They must, however, at least pay the monthly salary of 960 yuan ($141.8) which was set as the minimum wage on July 1 .

Due to the financial crisis, the municipal government did not release a similar guideline in 2009, but in 2008, the increase was 0.5 percent higher than this year for all three levels.

This is a result of the GDP increment in 2009 being slower than 2007 by 2.2 percentage points and a reduction in the CPI (consumer price index) by 3.7 percentage points.

The bureau demands enterprises raise workers' wages immediately and fairly.

Source: http://www.gov.cn/gzdt/2010-07/08/content_1648308.htm

Mediation draft law

China's legislators are reviewing a draft law on mediation to better resolve civil disputes through negotiations. The draft law will encourage people to settle disputes at neighborhood level, outside of courts and arbitration.

The law will institutionalize the mediation committee as the legal organization to resolve disputes. Meanwhile, it clarifies that such an organization will be mainly set up under urban neighborhood or rural village committees. Mediators in such committees should be honest, fair and warm-hearted with certain social and legal knowledge required, the draft states. It stipulates that any disputing party can ask the local mediation committee for help, which will be free of charge. Wu Aiying, Minister of Justice, said that various kinds of social conflicts are emerging as the country is experiencing big social and economic changes. Wu said that it is necessary to offer legal backing to mediation so as to eliminate the need for a lawsuit.

Website:http://legal.people.com.cn/GB/42729/11941862.html