May 1, 2013

A mental health law that requires consent from mentally ill patients before they receive inpatient treatment took effect in China on May 1, 2013.

The law was approved by the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress last October after three readings.

The law says mentally ill people, with the exception of those with a severe mental illness or who have the potential to harm themselves or others, should receive inpatient treatment on a purely voluntary basis.

The law also requires medical institutions to respect their right to demand a discharge.

May 3, 2013
China will punish the production and sale of unsafe food products more harshly to combat increasingly severe food scandals, judicial authorities said on Friday.

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate have issued interpretations that specify crimes related to food safety and set standards for the punishment for these crimes, court spokesman Sun Jungong told a press conference.

The explanations are believed to form a more rigorous system to punish crimes that threaten food safety, he said.

May 14, 2013
A government report, made public on May 14, 2013, highlighted China's progress in protecting human rights through improving people's livelihood.

The people's living standards are constantly on the rise as steady yet relatively rapid economic development has provided the foundation for a better livelihood for the Chinese people, says the report titled "Progress in China's Human Rights in 2012" issued by the Information Office of the State Council.