China revises law to strengthen infectious disease prevention, control

BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday adopted a revised Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, aiming to improve its prevention of epidemics and protect the life and health of its people.

The revised law, passed at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.

Liu Xia, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, said that the new law provides a strong legal safeguard for the development of a disease control system led by medical and health institutions, integrating prevention and treatment, and supported by cooperation across all sectors of society.

The new law will significantly strengthen China's core capabilities in the fields of infectious disease monitoring and early warnings, emergency response, testing and diagnostics, and medical treatment, Liu said.

"The new law further clarifies the rights, obligations and responsibilities of various parties -- including government departments, disease control agencies, medical institutions, businesses and individuals -- in the prevention and control of infectious diseases, and strengthens cross-departmental coordination mechanisms," said Shen Weixing, a professor at Tsinghua University's School of Law.

This revised version effectively enhances the authority and enforceability of the law, Shen added. ■