China to release details of energy law April 27-28

The Chinese government will give details on the progress of the country’s first energy law in an international seminar to be held later in Beijing on April 27-28, the deputy director of China’s National Energy Leading Group Office Xu Dingming told a petroleum industry conference in the Chinese capital Thursday.

“During the seminar, we will release documents related to our work on the (drafting of) Energy Law; general situation, progress and development (related to) the Energy Law; and the framework of the Energy Law,” Xu said. The National Energy Leading Group Office has invited world’s leading experts in the energy and law fields to take part in the April seminar, which has already been approved by the Chinese cabinet State Council, Xu said. Twenty-two of these experts will also deliver keynote speeches on the topics, he added. The National Energy Leading Group Office hopes to use the occasion to get opinions of international experts on its Energy Law drafting, Xu added. Beijing formed a task-force in early 2006 to oversee the drafting of the law, which includes officials from 15 ministries and government departments. A panel of Chinese experts specialized in energy, law, economics and public management have also been working for the taskforce as advisors. The central government had anticipated at the time to introduce the Energy Law in two years.

With its energy demand rising, the Chinese government has realized that there is a need for formulating a comprehensive energy law to ensure national economic security, energy exploitation and international energy cooperation. Recent Chinese media reports have said the regulations will focus on fuel security by regulating national and commercial oil reserves.