Beijing- China’s legislature approved a sweeping national security law on Wednesday to tighten control of the internet and empower the state to take “all necessary measures” to protect its sovereignty.
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Zheng Shuna, of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s legislative affairs commission, rejected the notion that the legislation was overly broad.
China’s military is expected to expand its offshore presence with the passage yesterday of a wide-ranging new national security law that highlights the country’s need to protect its “overseas interests”.
The new security law is the second document of its type in China.
Wednesday marked the 94th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, and the national security law discusses the need for “firm ideological dominance” and “strengthening public opinion guidance” on matters of national security.
Other parts of the law cover politics, culture, military, space, technology, the environment, and the Chinese economy.
China’s national security situation has become increasingly severe.
“Externally speaking, the country must defend its sovereignty, as well as security and development interests, and … it must also maintain political security and social stability”, Zheng added.
One addition to the final version was a clause on China’s determination to pursue and develop its capacity to “explore and use assets in space, deep seas and in polar regions”.
It defines national security for the first time as a “condition in which a country’s government, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, population, economy and society are relatively safe and not subject to internal and external threats”. But US trade groups have expressed ongoing concern that China’s security policies are going too far, and could push foreign businesses out of the country.
“Any government will stand firm and will not leave any room for disputes, compromises and interferences when it comes to protecting their core interests,” she said. “China is no exception“.
She said the new law provided a legal foundation for “the management of internet activities on China’s territory and the resisting of activities that undermine China’s cyberspace security”. Chinese officials always deny engaging in such actions.
A national security review and regulatory system and relevant mechanisms would be set up to censor items that have or may have an impact on national security, including foreign investment, particular materials and key technologies, network and information technology products and services, projects involving national security, it said.
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The Hong Kong Journalists Association, the global Federation of Journalists and the Independent Commentators Association said naming Hong Kong in the national law threatens “one country two systems”.
