China aims to submit energy law this year

China should be able to submit its draft energy law to its highest legislative body for deliberation within the year, state media reported on Thursday, a step toward bolstering efficiency and control in the sector.

Ye Rongsi, deputy head of the Energy Law drafting team, said public consultations on the draft would close at the end of the month, government Web site china.com.cn said.

After that, the legislation would go back to the drafting team for changes, then to China's economic planning body, the National Development and Reform Commission, and then to the State Council, or cabinet, for checks, Ye said.

Once it had gone through that process, the draft law would be put to the National People's Congress, China's largely rubber-stamp legislative body.

According to an early draft, it would require China's oil firms to build their own reserves to supplement a government-owned strategic inventory.

The legislation also aims for greater energy efficiency and better statistics and would put management of the country's strategic reserves firmly under government control.