Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, May 24, 2002
State Council Issues Regulation on Internal Boundaries
Coming into effect on July 1, the 20-article regulation aims to consolidate the country's first demarcation of 62,000 kilometers of provincial borders and 416,000 kilometers of county boundaries, and to maintain the social stability around the demarcated borders.
Premier Zhu Rongji has issued a decree to reinforce the demarcation of China's internal boundaries.
Coming into effect on July 1, the 20-article regulation aims to consolidate the country's first demarcation of 62,000 kilometers of provincial borders and 416,000 kilometers of county boundaries, and to maintain the social stability around the demarcated borders.
The regulation stipulates that governments at various levels must strictly abide by the demarcation agreements. Individuals or organizations face prosecution if they change, move or destroy the borders arbitrarily.
If a boundary stone must be removed or added for reasons like construction or development, neighboring local governments must consulted on a joint survey with the results submitted to higher authorities for file and approval.
The regulation says that the Civil Affairs Ministry under the State Council will be totally responsible for the general management of domestic boundaries.
And local civil affair departments above county level must assume their duty in managing boundaries.