China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Saturday passed several new laws covering everything from restricting sensitive exports to protect national security, to preventing and managing infectious diseases, to the protection of under-18s online.
The law restricting exports of controlled items, which will apply to all companies in China, is to take effect on Dec. 1 and would allow Beijing to “take reciprocal measures” against countries that abuse export controls and pose a threat to national security.
Technical data related to items covered would also be subject to export controls, according to the published text of the law.
Beijing’s latest measure gives it more room to hit back in US President Donald Trump’s war on Chinese tech firms, with the White House moving against popular platforms and major companies.
The new law, “formulated to safeguard national security and interests,” adds to China’s regulatory toolkit, which also involves a restriction catalogue of tech exports and an unreliable entity list.
The law states that authorities would formulate and adjust an export control list of items to be published in a “timely manner.”
Companies and individuals who contravene the new law, including those outside of China, could face criminal charges.
Violations, such as exporting items without a permit, could result in fines of 5 million yuan (US$746,500), or up to 20 times the business value of the illegal transaction.
BIOSECURITY
The new biosecurity law would establish systems for biosecurity risk prevention and control, including risk monitoring, risk investigation and assessment, and information sharing.
It would also have provisions to prevent and respond to specific biosecurity risks, including major emerging infectious diseases, epidemic and sudden outbreaks, and biotechnology research, development and application, Xinhua news agency reported.
The legislation also seeks to protect whistle-blowers, citing the right to report “acts that endanger biosecurity.”
“Any work unit or individual has the right to report acts that endanger biosecurity,” the regulation said.
“When a report is required according to the law, no work unit or individual shall conceal [it]... or hinder others from making a report,” it added.
It is to go into effect on April 15 next year, Xinhua said.
PROTECTING MINORS
The revised laws to strengthen the protection of under-18s online, state that Internet product and service providers “shall not offer minors products and services that induce addiction,” Xinhua said.
Under the revisions, effective from June 1 next year, providers of online services — including gaming, livestreaming, audio and video, and social media — must set up “corresponding functions” such as time and consumption limits for minors, it said.
Service providers must take necessary measures to stop cyberbullying, and parents or guardians of minors who are cyberbullied have the right to inform service providers to delete, block or disconnect links.
The revised laws also force kindergartens and schools to report harassment and sexual assault of minors to public security and education authorities, Xinhua said.
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