China mulls new commission to monitor internet risks

Beijing is considering establishing a high-level inter-departmental commission to screen internet services and hardwareas it tightens its grip over cyberspace.

The Cyberspace Administration of China issued a draft outline on Saturday of measures to bolster online ­security, saying the commission would assess whether products such as servers or internet services could be hijacked by an outside party, and the privacy of users compromised. The commission would coordinate work related to the screening, the draft said.

It said government and Communist Party offices should only purchase products or services vetted by the committee.

Operators of critical internet infrastructure that could involve state security should also use only approved products and services.

The leadership has been trying to foster the development of home-grown network technology to improve cybersecurity, and President Xi Jinping established the Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity Affairs in 2014, which he chairs.

Beijing has also adopted a controversial cybersecurity law, which requires “operators of critical information infrastructure” to store personal information and important business data within the Chinese mainland. It has also launched a nationwide campaign against unauthorised internet connections, including virtual private networks that allow users to bypass internet regulators.