BEIJING -- Chinese legal experts have called for efforts to compile the existing environmental laws and regulations into a comprehensive legal code to provide stronger legal support for China's environmental protection efforts.

They made the suggestions at a forum on improving the legal system for the protection of the ecology and environment recently held in Beijing.

The fact that China is still under pressure from structural and systematic problems related to environmental protection creates greater requirements for future legislation, the experts said.

There are gaps in some environmental laws and the outdated regulations must be improved and adapted to the new conditions and requirements, the experts added, calling for adopting a systematic approach and conducting reform and innovation in this regard.

Lyu Zhongmei, president of the Environment and Resources Law Society of the China Law Society (ERLSCLS), said systematic and comprehensive laws and regulations are essential for China to advance environmental protection.

Zhu Xiao, a professor at Renmin University of China, echoed Lyu and proposed to harness overseas experience to help improve the legal system in China.

The forum was jointly organized by the ERLSCLS and a Beijing-based research center.