Draft legislation defines ‘terrorism’
Print Edition
CHINESE lawmakers began reviewing draft legislation for the country’s first anti-terrorism law yesterday with the aim of improving counter terrorist activity while protecting citizens’ rights.
Coming weeks after fatal attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, the draft is the nation’s latest attempt to address terrorism at home and help maintain world security.
At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Su Zelin, deputy director of the committee’s Commission for Legislative Affairs, said that in the wake of new developments in the world’s war on terrorism, China was facing a “new situation” in terms of its legislative work.
The draft law, when passed, could strengthen China’s counter-terrorism efforts, he said.
One notable change made to the draft yesterday is an updated definition of the term “terrorism.”
It is defined as “any speech or activity that, by means of violence, sabotage or threat, generates social panic, undermines public security, and menaces government organs and international organizations.”
An earlier definition included “thoughts” in addition to “speeches and activities,” but that was deleted for the sake of accuracy and applicability.
In addition, the draft proposes better aerospace control in China to guard against potential drone attacks.
“Flight control, civil aviation and public security authorities ... must enhance management of aerospace, aircraft and flight activities, and stay on high alert for terrorist activity against aircraft or those conducted via flight activities,” it says.
It also seeks to strike a balance between combating extremism and protecting people’s rights.
In particular, security authorities’ access to citizens’ information via telecom and Internet technology must now undergo “strict approval procedures,” and information obtained in accordance with the draft law can only be used for the purpose of counter-terrorism operations, the draft says.
Approval must also be obtained to inquire into, seal up, seize and freeze suspicious assets linked to terrorist activity.
The new draft comes at a delicate time, as Sunday will mark the first anniversary of a deadly terrorist attack in southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
Twenty-nine people were killed and scores more were injured by knife-wielding assailants at a train station in the province’s capital city of Kunming on March 1, 2014.
China does not have anti-terrorism legislation at the moment, though related provisions are scattered in various Standing Committee decisions, as well as the Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure Law and Emergency Response Law.
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