China will announce a draft of the upcoming energy law on Dec. 1 to seek public opinions through media and the Internet, the Office of the National Energy Leading Group said Tuesday.

The new law is expected to put China's energy management onto a legal track and help China better safeguard its energy security, said Xu Dingming, vice director of the office.

"China currently faces a grave situation of energy conservation and the rising international oil prices are threatening the country's energy security," said Deng Haifeng, a researcher with the Center for Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law of Tsinghua University.

"Environmental pollution and climate change have become a major challenge to China's economic and social development, so it's imperative for the law to come out as soon as possible," he said.

China lacks a systemic and comprehensive energy law though it has laws on electricity, coal, energy conservation and renewable energy.

Since the start of 2006, China has worked out four editions of the energy law and prepared a draft for discussion this September in the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, National People's Congress, local governments, companies and industry associations.

The draft of energy law will comprise 15 chapters and 132 articles, defining the country's energy management, strategy, development, supply, storage and preservation, said the drafting group.

The law will also cover energy technologies, international cooperation, fiscal and tax policies, and other issues in the energy sector.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2007)