China's first law on promoting the private economy officially takes effect on Tuesday, which focuses on resolving the issues of concern to private enterprises, said a spokeswoman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The Private Economy Promotion Law, passed on April 30, clarifies the status of the private sector as a major component and promoter of the Chinese economy, and highlights its contribution to scientific and technological development.
Li Chao, the NDRC spokeswoman, said at a press conference in Beijing that the new law is of great significane to China's private economy.
"The Private Economy Promotion Law of China officially comes into effect today. This is a landmark event in the construction of the socialist market economy and has milestone significance in the development of China's private economy," she said.
The NDRC, together with relevant departments, has systematically planned 53 policy measures in seven areas regarding the development of the private sector, which have been issued and implemented. In the future, the NDRC will continue to work on and issue more relevant policies to effectively resolve issues of concern to private enterprises, Li said.
"We will make good use of policies such as the new local government special bonds, strengthen punishment for breach of trust, and speed up the settlement of overdue accounts owed to private enterprises; We will promote special law enforcement actions involving enterprises, and resolutely prevent illegal cross-region law enforcement and profit-seeking law enforcement; We will implement a long-term regulatory mechanism for charges related to enterprises, and improve the transparency of the charges; We will also continuously optimize the policy environment for private enterprises to participate in major national projects and programs, build up security capacity in key areas, and participate in the large-scale renewal of equipment and the trade-in of consumer goods," Li said.
China's first law on promoting private economy takes effect
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.
In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.
"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.
Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.
Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.
"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.
Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.
Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.
"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.
Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela
