“Further and more vivid educational activities of morality, the legal system and discipline should be carried out for teenagers in schools, families and communities,” said Cao Zhi, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

Cao made the remarks Wednesday during the first session of the Leading Group for Preventing Juvenile Delinquency under the Central Commission for Comprehensive Control of Law and Order.

Cao is also the director of the group, which is composed of top government officials from the Central Commission of Communist Youth League and more than 10 governmental departments, such as the ministries of education, public security and culture.

Latest official statistics show that juvenile criminal activities have increased to nearly 10 percent of the country’s crime rate.

Constant media attention, exhibitions, films and public welfare advertisements will be distributed throughout the country to educate youngsters on the legal system.

Schools at various levels are asked to invite law experts to visit the institutions for educating students on law, social security and self-defence.

At the same time, the country strive to eliminate potential factors that may cause teenage crime, Chen Jiping, vice-director of the group, noted.

The legal rights of young rural workers, who move to urban areas in search of work, must be strictly protected.

Some officials say when the legal rights of the rural workers are encroached, they may violate the legal system in retaliation.

Meanwhile, several state departments have kicked off a nationwide campaign to fight instigators of teenage violence, such as entertainment activities that spread eroticism and gambling.

At the meeting, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Minors was cited as saying that effective measures should be taken to combat violent activities.

(China Daily 03/29/2001)