A group of members from China's top legislature recently inspected the implementation of the Law on Regional Autonomy of Ethnic Minorities in Qinghai Province, northwest China.

It is the first time the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) has made this kind of inspection tour since the law was put into force in 1984, said He Luli, vice chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee who led the delegation for a visit to Qinghai between July 14 and 18.

Over the past 22 years, the parliamentary leader said, the law has played an important role in protecting the equal rights of minority groups and the autonomous rights of local governments, boosting economic and social development in various autonomous areas, safeguarding national unity, strengthening unity among different ethnic groups and maintaining social stability.

During its stay in Qinghai, the delegation visited the three autonomous prefectures of Haixi, Hainan, and Haibei, the Xunhua Sala Autonomous County and Golmud City.

The delegation will also visit Gansu Province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for the same purpose.

It is one of the four inspection teams formed by the NPC Standing Committee to study the performance of the law in 11 provinces and autonomous regions.

(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2006)