By Wang Yu (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-09 20:35

China's first Energy Law will turn out to be a "good overarching" law governing the whole energy segment of China, judging from the current draft.

That is the explicit message from legal and industrial experts today from a clean energy-oriented seminar in Beijing. Charles R. McElwee, counsel of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P, contended today that judging from the current draft version of the law, China’s first Energy Law would be effective and overarching in governing the energy industry and leading the country’s energy segment into the future.

The draft of the first would-be Energy Law of China addresses important issues, such as strategic oil reserves, McElwee observed.

However, the legal expert pointed out that in terms of driving up renewable energy development and enhancing energy efficiency, the draft does not offer new supporting content to the existing Renewable Energy Law and Energy Conservation Law as well.