Amendment to the marine environment protection law has been kicked off, following the decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on building a strong maritime nation, the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) said.

In 2018, a report issued by the law enforcement inspection team of the Standing Committee of the NPC on implementation of the marine environment protection law made it clear that the marine environment protection needed the strictest legal system in place and the amending procedure should start as soon as possible.

During the 13th NPC's fourth session, deputies put forward motions on amending the marine environment protection law.

They said that the management system of the marine environment protection has undergone important changes and the law should be revised, in order to improve the land-sea coordination mechanism and the supervision system for sewage outfalls into the sea.

Deputies also proposed to establish a marine pollution baseline, a risk prevention and control system for oil spills, leakage of hazardous chemicals and red tide, a standard for marine ecological environment protection and specification system as well as a monitoring system.

The committee has attached great importance to the suggestions included in the deputies' motions and held a seminar in March 2021 to communicate with relevant departments on the amendment. 

In December 2021, a meeting was held to announce start of the amendment where opinions and suggestions from relevant departments of the State Council were heard and plans for the revision work decided.