Legal Push for Reading

　　Recently, China’s lawmakers are mulling over aregulation to promote reading among the public.The General Administration of Press, Publication,Radio, Film and Television said it plannedto submit the first draft to the State Council, thecabinet, for approval by the end of the year.

　　The legislation, which has been in the pipelinesince the country’s sessions of National People’sCongress and National Committee of the ChinesePeople’s Political Consultative Conferencein March of this year, is motivated by new researchshowing that Chinese people read fewerbooks than people in many other countries.According to a national survey conductedby Chinese Academy of Press and Publication,among the Chinese people between the agesof 18 and 70, each read 6.7 books on averagein 2012, including paper books and e-books, anincrease of about one book compared with 2011,but still lagging in comparison to the 15 booksper year, per person read by Americans.

　　As the legislation plan was revealed, it sparkedheated discussion. Supporters believe the lawwill be an institutional guarantee to people’sright to read and will invigorate Chinese people’sweakening appetite for reading. Skeptics arguethat reading is personal and should not be interferedwith by law. They say that other measuresbesides legislation should be taken to boostreading - like reducing students’ study load,regulating the publishing market and creating amore conducive environment for young writers.

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