China's national security law to address 'harmful moral standards'

The mainland legislature's top body has reviewed a new national security law that would deal with a range of risks, including "harmful moral standards", state media said on Monday.

The sweeping law underwent its second reading during a session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, a group with about 200 members led by the third-ranking member of the ruling Communist Party, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The news agency said the draft law included clauses that dealt with "important industries and sectors deemed vital to the economy, which would prevent financial risks through the development of financial infrastructure and capabilities, and a grain security system". It also deals with the establishment of "systems for cyber and information security".

President Xi Jinping , who heads a newly established national security commission, has said security covered areas including politics, culture, the military, the economy, technology and the environment.

"The draft law called for reinforced education and dissemination of socialist core values, to prevent the infiltration of harmful moral standards," Xinhua said, without elaborating.

The mainland already has broad laws governing security, and it is not clear to what extent the new law would enhance previous powers.