IN BRIEF (Page 3)

Legal

Blacklist on way for court defiance

The top court will blacklist people who refuse to abide by court rulings, in a move that may eventually restrict their business activities and market access.

The Supreme People's Court will publish the list from Oct 1, as an increasing number of court decisions have not been complied with in recent years.

The blacklist aims to "urge these people to fulfill their legal obligations, and to help build a social credit system", Liu Guixiang, director of the implementation bureau under the court, says.

People who intentionally refuse to abide by court rulings, through means such as fabricating evidence, and using violence and threats, will be included on the blacklist.

Those who hide and transfer their assets by filing lawsuits will be considered as defying the law, and will be blacklisted.

Others to be placed on the list include those who violate the courts' asset reporting system or spending limits and those who are financially capable but defy rulings deliberately.

Fake love avoids home-buying rules

The recent crackdown on real estate agencies helping non-native Beijing residents create bogus marriages with local Beijingers in order to buy property has law experts divided on the legality of the ploy.

The capital's housing and urban-rural development commission is accusing Golden Time Real Estate and Jinziyan Real Estate of aiding in the arrangement of 17 sham marriages. Officials say they are investigating eight home purchases.

Bogus marriages between non-native residents of the capital and Beijingers began cropping up after the city government issued a provision in 2011 permitting non-native residents only one home purchase, and that only if they had previously paid social security or income taxes for five consecutive years.

But the provision has a glaring loophole: Non-native residents can buy two homes if they marry a Beijinger.

Single Beijing locals are qualified to buy one home. A Beijing couple - with at least one having Beijing hukou - can purchase two.

Security

Airports step up security checks

Domestic airports have improved security measures after a man set off a bomb on July 20 at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Explosives checks are being carried out at the entrances of the arrival and departure halls at the airport, with security personnel swiping palm-sized testing paper on passengers' luggage.

SWAT officers have been deployed in the halls, Beijing police announced on July 21, and police dogs have also been used.

The anti-explosive measures came after an incident on the evening of July 20 when Ji Zhongxing, 34, set off a homemade bomb at the Beijing airport, injuring himself and a security guard.

Ji, 34, who uses a wheelchair, was stopped by security staff when he tried to hand out leaflets outside Gate B of the airport's arrival hall on Saturday evening. Ji then warned people nearby to get away before he set off an explosive device in his bag, injuring himself and a policeman, police say.

According to a witness Ji did not throw the bomb after activating it, but held it in his hands, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Ji, from Heze, Shandong province, claimed in his blog that he had been attacked and paralyzed by police in Dongguan, Guangdong province, in 2005, and that his lawsuit against the police failed.

The explosion occurred outside Gate B of the Terminal 3 arrival hall, where there are no security checks.

Beijing police said on July 21 that Ji had been taken into custody and they were investigating how he got the explosives, what his motives were and whether there were any other suspects.

Guangdong to probe bomber's allegations

Guangdong provincial authorities promised on July 21 to look into the alleged unjust treatment of a disabled man who police say set off an explosive device the day before at Beijing Capital International Airport.

The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department said in a statement that the police must thoroughly probe online allegations that Ji Zhongxing, who set off the homemade bomb, was attacked by police in Dongguan eight years ago.

Ji said in a blog uploaded in 2006 on sina.com that he was attacked by police in Dongguan at about 3 am on June 28, 2005, while he was carrying a passenger on his motorcycle.

Li points way for railways reform

Premier Li Keqiang called on July 24 for reform of funding methods for railways and for accelerated rail construction in central and western regions.

Experts said the measures are part of efforts to stabilize economic growth, which slowed to 7.5 percent in the second quarter, and will help China's industrial sector amid the economic slowdown.

The railway construction market will be "fully opened" through reform, and the building of rail facilities in less-developed areas will be emphasized, Li said at an executive meeting of the State Council, China's cabinet.

The premier called for multiple fundraising sources for railway construction, including a greater role for private capital and the establishment of a railway development fund.

Intercity railways' ownership and management rights will be open to private and local investors, Li said, while calling for rail projects under construction to be completed on schedule.

Regulation

New visa rules to boost family reunions

Relatives of foreign residents in China will soon have more opportunities to visit their loved ones, thanks to new visa rules announced on July 22.

Under regulations from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, an S visa will be created for family members of professionals from overseas.

Spouses, young children, parents and parents-in-law will all qualify for the visa when the regulations take effect in September, authorities say. S1 visas will allow a stay of more than six months, while S2 visas will be for shorter visits.

Foreign NGOs easier to be registered

International NGOs will find it much easier to become registered in China, as registration approval power has been handed over by the Ministry of Civil Affairs to provincial civil affairs authorities.

The move is part of the reforms the ministry has initiated to make NGO operations in China easier.

Other measures include preferential taxation, financial support for domestic organizations and a new management system that will loosen the requirements for international NGOs operating in China, according to Wang Jianjun, director of the non-governmental organizations department under the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

He was speaking at a forum on Thursday in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province.

As of the end of last year, 499,000 NGOs had registered with civil affairs authorities at different levels. They employ more than 12 million people, according to Li Liguo, minister of civil affairs.

Under the new framework, international NGOs are allowed to register with provincial civil affairs authorities instead of applying to the ministry as before, says Wang. "The requirements for social organizations will be lowered when they register."

China Daily

(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/26/2013 page3)