China plans new laws to ensure its national security

China will adopt new laws in 2024 relating to security in order to "safeguard its sovereignty", indicated" Friday a senior official, against a background of desireé President Xi Jinping's constant aim to eliminate any threat to his power.

The Communist government's number three, Zhao Leji, made the announcement in Beijing during the current annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), of which he is chairman of the standing committee – the body of around 170 members who drafts and votes on laws.

In his presentation of the legislative agenda for the coming year, Mr. Zhao promised Friday that lawmakers would work, among other things, to “resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests.”

“In order to modernize China's national security system and capacity”, China will adopt “emergency management law, emergency management law “energy, a law on atomic energy and a law on safety with regard to dangerous chemicals”, he detailed in his speech.

The ANP, in fact very dependent on the ruling Communist Party, also plans to revise “the law on national defense education and the law on cybersecurity”, he declared to the deputies.

– Anti-espionage –

Zhao Leji did not give further details on the content of these new laws , nor on the precise date of their adoption.

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji during the second plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Hall of the People in Beijing, March 8, 2024 © AFP – Pedro PARDO

The annual session of Parliament each year in early March provides an opportunity for media, observers and ordinary Chinese to gain insight into the government's strategy for the coming year.

The ANP must also introduce and amend laws in areas ranging from financial stability to health.

“L “National defense education and cybersecurity are obvious priorities for Chinese lawmakers,” Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a professor and expert in Chinese politics based in Hong Kong, told AFP.

“They want to strengthen the legal framework in these areas, this is one of Mr. Xi's priorities.”

Last year, China approved a revised law against espionage that significantly broadens its definition, giving Beijing more power than ever to punish what it considers threats to national security.

– “Domain priority” –

A law on state secrets adopted in February added new categories of sensitive information, including “work secrets”, which is i.e. information which is not classified as state secrets but which could “impede the normal activities of (state) organs or work units” if disclosed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (r) and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji during the second plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Hall of the People in Beijing, March 8, 2024 © AFP – Jade Gao

“One of the main characteristics of parliamentary work under the Xi Jinping era (started at the end of 2012) is to emphasize laws relating to national security”, Changhao told AFP Wei, founder of the NPC Observer website, specializing in the Chinese parliament.

He recalls that more than a dozen legislative texts on national security have been adopted in China since 2014, in particular laws on the fight against terrorism, intelligence and even data security.

“There has been significant work to put in place all the legal infrastructure necessary to safeguard 'national security'”, underlines Changhao Wei.

Under Xi Jinping, “national security is a priority area of ​​legislation and will likely remain so for the near future.”

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