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.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 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.
References
Bandurski D (2007) China’s emergency response law quietly takes the stage, targets “fake information”. In: China Media Project. http://cmp.hku.hk/2007/09/03/602/. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Branigan T (2008) Suffer in silence. The Guardian, 26 August 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/26/chinaearthquake.china. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Chai M (2012) Natural disaster management in China. Presented at the Symposium on Humanitarian Coordination in Asia and the Pacific, 9–11 May 2012. http://www.the-ecentre.net/resources/workshop/materials/349/P.R.CHINA%20CIVIL%20AFFAIRSpdf.pdf. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Chang Y, Wilkinson S, Potangaroa R et al (2012) Resourcing for post-disaster reconstruction: a comparative study of Indonesia and China. Disaster Prev Manag 21(1):7–21
Chin J, Tejada C (2012) Beijing raises flooding death toll. The Wall Street Journal, 27 July 2012. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443931404577550721627514422.html. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
China Daily (2012) System working to hold violators. China.org.cn, 18 October 2012. http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-10/18/content_26829237.htm. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Choi CY (2013) Official faces trial over 11m Yuan in kickbacks in Sichuan quake projects. South China Morning Post, 12 April 2013
Duan H, Ye D, Wang B et al (2007) China’s emergency response law draws controversy. Caijing Magazine. http://english.caijing.com.cn/2006-07-10/100014029.html. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
European Commission (2012) The EU and China launch joint project for managing disaster risks. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-608_en.htm?locale=en. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Feng H (2009) Disaster management in China. Paper presented at the consortium of non-traditional security studies in Asia 3rd Annual Conference, Singapore. http://www.rsis-ntsasia.org/activities/conventions/2009-singapore/Han%20Feng.pdf. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Ge Y, Gu Y, Deng W (2010) Evaluating China’s national post-disaster plans: The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake’s recovery and reconstruction planning. Int J Disaster Risk Sci 1(2):17–27
Information Office of the State Council (2009) China’s actions for disaster prevention and reduction. Xinhuanet news, 5 May 2011. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/11/content_11351284.htm. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Lam W (2011) Beijing’s blueprint for tackling mass incidents and social management. China Brief 11(5):3–5. http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=37696&tx_ttnews[backPid]=25&cHash=ea32c96b432552f2f027619725a91714. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Li R (2012) Newspaper flood report upsets city officials. South China Morning Post, 7 August 2012. http://www.scmp.com/article/1014196/newspaper-flood-report-upsets-city-officials. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Liao D (2012) A review of the key legal dynamics of Chinese Military Involvement in Domestic Disaster Relief (MI/DDR). J Homeland Secur Emerg Manag 9(1), Article 12
National Disaster Reduction Committee, MAC, United Nations Development Programme (2009) Research Report on Disaster Rescue and Relief in Wenchuan. http://www.undp.org.cn/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&catid=18&topic=60&sid=44456&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Pandey SN (2012) The Chinese disaster management mechanism. J Defence Stud 6(1):44–58
Shi J (2012) Beijing party boss Guo Jinlong a populist politician who’s star is rising. South China Morning Post. http://www.scmp.com/print/news/china/article/1041840/beijing-party-boss-guo-jinlong-populist-politician-whos-star-rising. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Shi P, Liu J, Yao Q et al (2007) Integrated disaster risk management of China. Paper presented at the 1st conference organised under the Auspices of the OECD International Network on the Financial Management of Large-Scale Catastrophes, Hyderabad, 26–28 February 2007. http://www.oecd.org/insurance/insurance/38120232.pdf. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Tan NT, Huang Y, Wang L (2011) Disaster management in China and Taiwan models, policies, and programs for social recovery. J Global Social Work Pract 4(1). http://www.globalsocialwork.org/vol4no1/Tan.html. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
The Economist (2009) Salt in their wounds: bereaved partners treated like criminals. The Economist, 14 May 2009. http://www.economist.com/node/13650027. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Trohanis ZE, Svetlosakova Z, Carlsson-Rex H (2011). Making women’s voices count in natural disaster programs in East Asia and the Pacific. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/10091. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
United Nations Development Programme (2009) Listening to the voices of the vulnerable group. Early Recovery & Disaster Risk Management Project in China Newsletter. http://www.un.org.cn/public/resource/11d79842054c8180c0b6cff861a84760.pdf. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
United Nations Development Programme, China Law Society (2009) Assessment on legal issues in earthquake stricken area. http://www.undp.org.cn/downloads/cpr/1.pdf. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
United Nations Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP): Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (2008) Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action in Asia and the Pacific – case study: the national disaster management system of China and its response to the Wenchuan Earthquake. http://www.unescap.org/idd/events/cdrr-2009/CDR_2E.pdf. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Wang Y (2012) A failure of priorities. Caixin Online. http://english.caixin.com/2012-10-22/100450518_1.html. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Weekly Times Now (2013) China targets bird flu rumours. Weekly Times Now. http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2013/04/11/566395_world-news.html. Accessed 15 Apr 2013
Xinhua (2007) Draft emergency response law bans false information on accidents. People’s Daily Online, 27 June 2007. http://english.people.com.cn/200706/25/eng20070625_387300.html. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Xinhua (2012) Death toll from SW China quakes rises to 81. Xinhuanet News, 10 September 2010. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-09/10/c_131839459_5.htm. Accessed 20 November 2012
Yan Z, Bao Z (2011) Chinese disaster management institutional framework: problems and suggestions for improvement: angle of inter-governmental relationships. Presented at the 2011 international conference on E-Business and E-Government, Tianjin Finance and Economic University, Tianjin, 6–8 May 2011. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=5882556&tag=1. Accessed 20 Nov 2012
Yin DZ (2009) China’s attitude towards foreign NGOs. Washington Univ Global Stud Law Rev 8:521
Zhang H (2012) What has China learnt from disasters? Evolution of the emergency management system after SARS, Southern Snowstorm, and Wenchuan Earthquake. J Comp Policy Anal 14(3):234–244
Documents and Materials
General Office of the CPC Central Committee, General Office of the State Council (2009) Interim Provisions on the Implementation of Accountability of Leaders and Cadres of the Party and the Government
General Office of the State Council (2007) Opinions of the general office of the State Council on strengthening the emergency response management at the grassroots level
Ministry of Civil Affairs (2008a) Administrative Measures for Donation for Disaster Relief
Ministry of Civil Affairs (2008b) Opinions of the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Issues Related to the Use of Funds Donated for Earthquake Relief in Wenchuan Areas
Ministry of Civil Affairs (2012) Interim Measures on the Creation and Management of Whole Country Comprehensive Disaster Reduction Pilot Communities
Ministry of Commerce (2011) Administrative Measures for Emergency Response to the Market Supply of Necessities of Life
Ministry of Environmental Protection (2010) Interim Measures for the Administration of Contingency Plans for Environmental Emergencies. Huan Fa, No. 113
Ministry of Environmental Protection (2011) Measures for the Reporting of Information Pertaining to Environmental Emergencies
Ministry of Land and Resources (2008) Decision on Commending Those Units and Individuals Who Participated in the Emergency Examination of Geological Hazards in Earthquake Relief
Ministry of Public Security (2008) Provisions on the Expressway Traffic Emergency Management Procedures
National People’s Congress (1982) Constitution of the People’s Republic of China
National People’s Congress (2000), Law on Legislation of the People’s Republic of China
People’s Bank of China, China Banking Regulatory Commission (2008) Notice of the People’s Bank of China and the China Banking Regulatory Commission on Policies Relating to Deferred Repayment of Loans Borrowed before Wenchuan Earthquake
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (1984) Forestry Law of the People’s Republic of China
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (1996) Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (1997a) Flood Control Law of the People’s Republic of China
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (1997b) Law on the Prevention and Mitigation of Earthquake Disasters
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (1999) Meteorology Law of the People’s Republic of China
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2002) Water Law of the People’s Republic of China
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2007) Emergency Response Law of the People’s Republic of China
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2008) Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Mitigation of Earthquake Disasters
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (2010) Law of the People’s Republic of China on Administrative Supervision
State Council (1991) Regulations of the People’s Republic on Flood Control
State Council (1998) Regulations on Administration of Earthquake Predictions
State Council (2002) Regulations on Administration of Weather Modification
State Council (2004) Regulations on Administration of Earthquake Monitoring
State Council (2007) Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Disclosure of Government Information
State Council (2008) Regulations on Post-Wenchuan Earthquake Recovery and Reconstruction
State Council (2010a) Regulations on Natural Disaster Relief
State Council (2010b) Regulations on Prevention of Meteorological Disasters
State Council, Central Military Commission (2005) Regulations on the Army’s Participation in Emergency Rescue and Disaster Relief
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
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
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
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39768-4_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-39767-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-39768-4
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawLaw and Criminology (R0)