China okays anti-terrorism law, permits troops deployment overseas

The National People’s Congress stated its standing committee adopted the law with a unanimous vote.

China’s top legislature has adopted the country’s first counter-terrorism law, in the latest attempt to address terrorism at home and help maintain world security.

Human rights groups have warned that the law will give even more intrusive powers to the Chinese government, which already has broad, virtually unchecked authority to monitor and detain citizens and to demand information from companies and Internet services.

“Nowadays, the Internet is increasingly used by terror groups to spread their extremist ideas, recruit fighters, channel fund and plot attacks”, a Xinhua commentary said.

Xinjiang is on the boil due to unrest among its majority Uyghur Muslim population over the increasing settlements of members of Han community from other provinces of China.

A Chinese government official tried to downplay those concerns.

The new law, which will enter into force in January next year, will provide legal support to the country’s counter-terrorism activities as well as collaboration with the worldwide society, he said.

Critics say the new rules give authorities wide scope for interpretation over what is harmful to state security.

Public security and national security authorities may also send personnel overseas for counter-terrorism missions, with the approval from the government and agreements from countries concerned, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The Chinese parliament has just passed a law that requires technology companies to comply with government requests for information, including handing over encryption keys. It would also impact multinational corporations operating in China, the Times notes, including Apple, IBM and Cisco.

A previous version of the draft law, submitted in February, did not cover personal and property rights or political and ideological objective.

The top legislature is very busy during the past seven days, it has seen the continued review of draft laws covering counterterrorism, domestic violence, a national system of honors, education and charity.

According to The Verge, earlier this year, Obama himself talked to Chinese president, Xi Jinping, saying China has to change this if they want to continue doing business with the United States. “Tech companies are not going to be willing to do that”.

As well as granting new powers within China’s borders, the new law also permits overseas action by the People’s Liberation Army – something which will be eyed with suspicion and likely opposed by for foreign nations.

The lack of a systematic law in this field had hampered China’s fight against terrorism, with measures deemed not forceful enough, analysts say. The two-child rule will take effect Friday.