Chinese lawmakers review proposed changes to state secrets law amid national security push
- China’s top legislative body considers first draft of revision that would reaffirm Communist Party control over information security
- Proposal also stipulates government support for research and use of technology and says secrets will be automatically declassified when period expires
Details of the draft have not yet been released, but according to a report on Friday by the state-run Xinhua news agency, the revised law would add new provisions to reaffirm the party’s control over all matters related to information security and, for the first time, stipulate government support for research and use of critical information security technologies.
Xinhua said the changes to the law would also require marking electronic documents related to state secrets as such and requiring government agencies to conduct annual audits of state secrets for which they are responsible.
The new draft also states that a state secret will be automatically declassified when the classification period expires.
Xinhua reported that the new regulations establish standards for classified information systems and require that these systems not contain hidden risks.
China’s current state secrets law, which deals with the definition, management and protection of state secrets, was enacted in May 1989 and underwent a major revision in 2010.