China Ratifies UN Convention to Protect Overseas Citizens

The Convention, formulated by the UN and took effect in 1995, has since been accepted by 72 countries. 'As China is taking a more active role in UN peacekeeping operations, the accession to this convention is conducive to the protection of Chinese personnel joining the UN peacekeeping actions' said Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui. He further added that the Convention provides a legal basis for China to make an extradition request to other signing parties.

According to the Foreign Ministry, China's goal is to protect the ordinary citizen who is overseas. Since 1978 when only 200,000 Chinese citizens went overseas, the numbers have now risen dramatically to 20.2m. (Source: www.china.org.cn)

Rap Fan Banned from Owning Stereo
UK - A British woman has been banned from owning a stereo or a television after playing music so loud that furniture in neighbouring flats was moved by the vibrations.

Sharon McLoughlin became Birmingham City's first person to lose her home and to be made subject to an Anti-Social Behaviour Order for playing loud music after a judge at Birmingham County Court agreed to serve the order on her. She was also banned from causing harassment, alarm or distress anywhere in England and Wales for two years.

McLoughlin, an Eminem fan, had been served on three separate occasions with a Noise Abatement Notice whereupon her audio equipment, including karaoke machine, was seized. However, McLoughlin showed absolutely no regard for her neighbours or the law and obtained more equipment.
(Source: news.bbc.co.uk)

IPR Protection Campaign to Be Launched
China - According to a recent national meeting, China will launch a one-year-long campaign from September to crack down on infringements of intellectual property rights ('IPR'). 'Such acts will not only seriously undermine market economic order and hamper China's economic growth, but also ruin the prestige and image of the country and influence China's future opening-up', Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi told the meeting.

On the campaign, the vice-premier said regional officials that fail to contain infringement of IPR will be seriously punished. The campaign will investigate a number of serious IPR infringement cases, particularly the cases on trade mark, copyright and patent rights. During the campaign, steps would also be taken to educate the public about the importance of IPR protection. (Source: www.china.org.cn)

Online Signatures to be Legalised
China - Legislators are considering passing a law on electronic signatures to promote online business in China.

The draft law grants electronic signatures the same legal standing as handwritten signatures and seals in business transactions. A legal electronic signature should identify the signer and confirm the file content. But electronic signatures will not be eligible for documents concerning personal relations such as marriage, adoption and inheritance.

Nor will electronic signatures work in the transfer of properties such as land and houses and the suspension of public utility services such as supply of water, heating, gas and electricity.

Statistics show that China has some 4,000 websites dealing with e-commerce and over 70 online certification centres. China's Internet Data Centre estimates that domestic revenue from e-commerce amounted to US$60bn in 2003.

The draft law requires the State Council to work out specific rules governing the certification authorities, the agencies that play a vital role in setting up electronic signatures.

It says the information technology authorities should tighten supervision over the certificate authorities to reduce the risk of illegal use or misuse of electronic signatures.

(Source: www.china.org.cn)