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China suspends plans to draft halal law

Muslims complain that food marked halal often fell short of Islamic standards
China suspends plans to draft halal law
Published: April 19, 2016 04:46 AM GMT
Updated: April 26, 2016 07:14 AM GMT

China will not consider a new halal law this year, apparently going back on a decision to draft the controversial legislation amid strong opposition by many majority Han Chinese.

Although the National People's Congress called the provision "reasonable and necessary" following state media reports a new halal law was being considered early last month, the legislation was not included on China's legislative plan for 2016.

China has effectively delayed consideration of a controversial halal law since 2002 when the powerful State Council instructed the congress' Ethnic Affairs Committee to draft the legislation.

Muslim areas of the country including restive Xinjiang have their own halal laws, but China's 20 million Muslims say gaps in the system means food marked halal too often falls short of Islamic standards.

Large numbers of Han Chinese including scholars have in recent months opposed a halal law, arguing on social media that an officially atheist country should not be legislating on food using Islamic law.

"Secular people are wary of religious interference," said a Han Chinese in a comment on a halal industry alliance posted on social media site Weibo. "China has no state religion."

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