Lawmakers are moving to crack down on people who force the young or disabled into organized begging rings.

The legislature is reviewing the draft of a Criminal Law amendment which provides for jail terms of up to three years for organizers of begging syndicates involving children under the age of 14 or disabled people.

Hu Kangsheng, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, had pledged to take a firm stand against behavior that infringed on the rights of children and disabled people.

He said “professional” begging syndicates who were cheating, intimidating and seducing disabled people and children into joining them had been in the headlines too often in recent years.

“Some organizers even physically abused young disabled people, forcing them to join their begging network for profit,” said Hu, adding that support for the proposed amendment was strong.

The NPC Standing Committee is considering many other draft laws and amendments in its weeklong review session starting Friday.

Other issues to be discussed include tighter controls on the disposal of solid industrial waste, longer terms for township legislators, bankruptcy law, property rights protection and a draft on public order administration.

(Shenzhen Daily October 25, 2004)