国内新闻：Public given more leeway to disagree with gov't

According to the Regulation on Implementing Administrative Review Law, the public has the right to ask the government to review its actions and decisions that they believe have infringed upon their rights.

"It is an important platform for China's administrative organs to solve disputes, ease social tension and strengthen inner monitoring," said an official with the State Council's legal office.

To ensure officials do not pass the buck, the regulation also stipulates that government bodies at all levels must take petitions seriously or their chief officials may be sacked.

The regulation is based on the Administrative Review Law China adopted in 1999, the official said. Since then an average of more than 80,000 disputes have been resolved every year.

The official said that the new regulation would be a more efficient means for the public to file complaints to the government than compared with filing lawsuits and petitioning.

"Many of the disputes are thus settled at grassroots and rudimentary level and do not have to go to courts," the official said.

"It tightens the affinity between the government and the public, and helps improve the government image."

The regulation will take effect on August 1.