Abstract
China is prone to many types of natural disaster. Reports on recent disasters indicate that the response to major disasters is prompt, particularly by the armed forces, and that the Chinese Government not only moves quickly in relation to disaster mitigation, but is also prepared to draw on assistance from foreign governments, international organisations and domestic and international non-governmental organisations. A major issue in the administrative structure relating to disaster management, however, is that it relies extensively on administrative planning and bureaucratic cooperation rather than a strong, consistent legal framework, and mechanisms for independent external review. This chapter examines the emergency management system in China, with an emphasis on the relationship between law and administrative structures in preparation for and response to emergencies and the aftermath.
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- 1.
Chin and Tejada (2012).
- 2.
Xinhua (2012).
- 3.
United Nations Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); Commission on Disaster Risk Reduction (2008), pp. 5–7.
- 4.
For example, the European Commission recently announced a joint European Union-China project to manage disaster risks (European Commission 2012).
- 5.
National People’s Congress (1982) Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (Constitution), Art. 58.
- 6.
Constitution (1982), Arts. 85, 86.
- 7.
Constitution (1982), Arts. 95, 96.
- 8.
Constitution (1982), Arts. 62, 67. See also National People’s Congress (2000), Law of the People’s Republic of China on Legislation (Law on Legislation), Art. 7.
- 9.
Constitution (1982), Art. 89; Law on Legislation (2000), Art. 56.
- 10.
Constitution (1982), Art. 90; Law on Legislation (2000), Art. 71.
- 11.
Law on Legislation (2000), Arts. 63–64.
- 12.
Law on Legislation (2000), Arts. 73–74.
- 13.
For example, Supreme People’s Court (2008).
- 14.
- 15.
Zhang (2012), p. 237.
- 16.
- 17.
Information Office of the State Council (2009), Part III.
- 18.
Information Office of the State Council (2009), Part III.
- 19.
Regulations on the Army’s Participation in Emergency Rescue and Disaster Relief. State Council and Central Military Commission (2005).
- 20.
See, for example, Regulations on Administration of Earthquake Predictions (1998) and Regulations on Administration of Earthquake Monitoring (2004).
- 21.
Regulations on Administration of Weather Modification (2002).
- 22.
Regulations on Flood Control (1991, amended 2005).
- 23.
Regulations on Post-Wenchuan Earthquake Recovery and Reconstruction (2008).
- 24.
Opinions on Issues Related to the Use of Funds Donated for Earthquake Relief in Wenchuan Areas, Ministry of Civil Affairs (2008b); Administrative Measures for the Donations for Disaster Relief, Ministry of Civil Affairs (2008a).
- 25.
People’s Bank of China and China Banking Regulatory Commission (2008), Notice on Policies Relating to Deferred Repayment of Loans Borrowed before Wenchuan Earthquake.
- 26.
Emergency Response Law, Art. 3.
- 27.
Zhang (2012), p. 237.
- 28.
Emergency Response Law, Arts. 7, 8, 69.
- 29.
Emergency Response Law, Art. 11.
- 30.
Emergency Response Law.
- 31.
Emergency Response Law, Arts. 8, 14. For a description of the role of the PLA, see Liao (2012).
- 32.
Issued in 2005 jointly by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.
- 33.
Emergency Response Law, Art. 15.
- 34.
Emergency Response Law, Art. 20.
- 35.
Emergency Response Law, Arts. 17, 37. The Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Strengthening the Emergency Response Management at the Grassroots Level were issued just before the Emergency Response Law was passed.
- 36.
Tan et al. (2011).
- 37.
Issued by the Planning Committee of Post-Wenchuan Earthquake Restoration and Reconstruction in 2008, and by the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design in 2008. See Ge et al. (2010).
- 38.
Information Office of the State Council (2009), Art. III.
- 39.
- 40.
Administrative Measures for the Donations for Disaster Relief (2008a); Interim Measures on the Creation and Establishment of Whole Country Comprehensive Disaster Reduction Pilot Communities (2012).
- 41.
Ge et al. (2010), p. 19.
- 42.
- 43.
United Nations Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP): Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (2008), pp. 5–7.
- 44.
Zhang (2012), p. 240.
- 45.
- 46.
State Council (2008).
- 47.
Ge et al. (2010), p. 21.
- 48.
Chang et al. (2012), pp. 13–14.
- 49.
Tan et al. (2011).
- 50.
Zhang (2012), pp. 241–242.
- 51.
United Nations Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP): Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (2008), p. 15.
- 52.
Zhang (2012), p. 243.
- 53.
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2008).
- 54.
- 55.
- 56.
Ministry of Commerce (2011).
- 57.
For example, see China Daily (2012).
- 58.
Zhang (2012), p. 243.
- 59.
Shi et al. (2007), p. 9.
- 60.
- 61.
Yan and Bao (2011).
- 62.
General Office of the State Council (2007), Opinions on Strengthening the Emergency Response Management at the Grassroots Level; Ministry of Civil Affairs (2012), Interim Measures on the Creation and Management of Whole Country Comprehensive Disaster Reduction Pilot Communities.
- 63.
Yan and Bao (2011).
- 64.
Zhang (2012), p. 243.
- 65.
United Nations Development Programme and China Law Society (2009).
- 66.
National Disaster Reduction Committee, MAC, United Nations Development Programme (2009).
- 67.
United Nations Development Programme and China Law Society (2009).
- 68.
United Nations Development Programme and China Law Society (2009), p. 5.
- 69.
Trohanis et al. (2011).
- 70.
United Nations Development Programme and China Law Society (2009).
- 71.
United Nations Development Programme (2009).
- 72.
Supreme People’s Court (2008), Notice on Lawfully Accomplishing the Civil Trial and Enforcement during the Period of Earthquake Relief, Disaster Relief, Recovery and Reconstruction.
- 73.
United Nations Development Programme and China Law Society (2009), pp. 21–23.
- 74.
United Nations Development Programme and China Law Society (2009), pp. 33–34.
- 75.
Feng (2009), p. 7.
- 76.
- 77.
Ge et al. (2010), p. 19.
- 78.
United Nations Development Programme (2009).
- 79.
Choi (2013).
- 80.
General Office of the CPC Central Committee, General Office of the State Council (2009), Art. 7.
- 81.
General Office of the CPC Central Committee, General Office of the State Council (2009), Art. 20.
- 82.
General Office of the CPC Central Committee, General Office of the State Council (2009), Art. 5(5).
- 83.
China Daily (2012).
- 84.
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2010).
- 85.
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2010), Art. 6.
- 86.
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2010), Art. 27.
- 87.
Emergency Response Law, Art. 63.
- 88.
Emergency Response Law, Art. 64.
- 89.
Emergency Response Law, Arts. 10, 11 and 12.
- 90.
- 91.
Weekly Times Now (2013).
- 92.
- 93.
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Bath, V. (2014). The Legal System in China and the Handling of Accidents and Disasters. In: Butt, S., Nasu, H., Nottage, L. (eds) Asia-Pacific Disaster Management. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39768-4_10
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