Senior legislator stresses law-based epidemic control

BEIJING -- Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Friday stressed law-based epidemic control work to provide legal support for winning the battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while hearing reports made by the NPC Constitution and Law Committee and the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee on improving legislation regarding epidemic prevention and control.

Wang stressed the basic role of the law on prevention and control of infectious diseases and called for strict enforcement.

Efforts should be stepped up to crack down on law violations including interfering in the work of medical institutions, concealing or reporting false infection cases, making or selling fake protective products and illegally catching, killing, trading or trafficking wild animals, Wang said.

Wang also called for efforts to improve laws related to epidemic prevention and control to establish a sound, scientific and effective legal system for battling the epidemic.