Lawyers have suggested the addition of a "slavery" crime in the Criminal Law in the wake of last month's labor scandal that shocked the country.

In a letter submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) last week, the All-China Lawyers Association (ACLA) said there were no existing laws to criminalize slavery, and therefore it was impossible to effectively deter or punish people for such a crime.

It was suggested that anyone found guilty of enslaving another by means of violence or economic means should receive a sentence of up to life in prison, Wu Ge, chairman of the ACLA's constitution and human rights committee, who initiated the suggestion, said.