Lawmakers have called for amendment to the fire protection law to enhance emergency rescue and public safety.

The law was adopted at the second session of the 9th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee in April 1998 and had three revisions in 2008, 2019 and 2021. The NPC Standing Committee inspected the enforcement of the law last year, the first such review in the past 20 years.

A motion submitted to the fifth session of the 13th NPC this year pointed out various problems in the current practice of fire prevention and protection, such as a lack of clarity of regulatory responsibilities among various departments.

The motion called for the extensive use of digital technologies, such as big data, the internet of things and artificial intelligence, to improve fire safety and achieve better risk analysis and more rapid response.

Other problems that need to be addressed in the proposed amendment, according to the motion, included the current law's lukewarm provision on the fire liability insurance for the public, which receives low recognition in society. Moreover, administrative penalties on fire control are scant, with the maximum fine staying at 50,000 yuan ($6947.92), which is not effective to deter potential violations.