BEIJING: China has consolidated its legal system for cyberspace governance over the years, providing a strong institutional guarantee for building the country’s strength in cyberspace, officials said while introducing a white paper.
Titled “China’s Law-Based Cyberspace Governance in the New Era”, the paper was issued by the State Council Information Office on Thursday. “Since 1994, when China was fully connected to the internet, it has accelerated legislation in cyberspace and promulgated more than 140 relevant laws,” Cao Shumin, vice-minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said while explaining the paper at a news conference held by the office.
Now, the country has formed a cyber legislation framework, with the Constitution as the foundation and supported by laws, administrative regulations, departmental rules, local regulations and local administrative rules, she said. The framework is endorsed by traditional legislation and underpinned by specialized cyber laws governing online content and management, cybersecurity, information technology and other elements, the paper said.
Recalling the legislation in the new era, Yue Zhongming, an official at the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, revealed that they had formulated five laws on cyberspace and digital governance since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.
The five pieces of legislation are the Cybersecurity Law, E-commerce Law, Data Security Law, Personal Information Protection Law and the law on Combating Telecom and Online Fraud.
During the period, a few existing laws were also revised to clarify responsibilities of online platforms, protect consumers’ rights and maintain fair competition in cyberspace, Yue said. “In addition, we compiled the Civil Code and amended the Criminal Law to better safeguard civil rights of those engaged in new forms of business and to fight new types of online crimes,” he added.
–The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
