BEIJING: China’s Civil Code, which came into force, will help people be braver in saying “no” to things that disturb their private lives, including prank calls and spam messages, as it strengthens protection of their privacy and personal information, legal professionals said.
Regarded as an encyclopedia of social activities and a key legal instrument to safeguard people’s civil rights, the code is the first law called a “code” since the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949.
Adopted by the third session of the 13th National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, on May 28, the code is also milestone legislation in comprehensively advancing the rule of law and promoting the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics.
The 1,260-article code consists of general provisions, with clear stipulations on basic civil rights, duties and principles, and six individual sections on property, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance and torts.
Chen Changyi, a judge at Beijing’s Haidian District People’s Court, lauded the code, especially the section on personality rights.
“It’s the first time that a law defines what privacy is,” he said. “In the past it was too vague, and that often gave us difficulties in case hearings and rulings.”
Chen said he previously had to identify behavior that disturbed the peace of someone’s private life, such as spam emails, as infringing on that person’s dignity.
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
