BEIJING, Dec. 22-- China's top legislature on Monday reviewed the draft law on shipping lanes for the second time, vowing to safeguard the sector while protecting the environment.

The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on April 21 reviewed the draft law for the first time. The second draft saw some amendments related to environmental protection; evaluation of the shipping environment; and illegal sand dredging, according to the ongoing bi-monthly session of the NPC Standing Committee.

China now has about 130,000 kilometers of inland waterways and over 8,000 km of coastal waterways, through which about 11 percent of the country's freight is shipped.

The second draft developed a clause that focused on the planning, construction, maintenance and protection of waterways, declaring that practices such as these should be in line with environmental protection efforts.

The second draft added further clear clauses, such as on illegal sand dredging along waterways, saying that conducts such as this will result in punishment for the party responsible.