SINGAPORE: China’s revised state secrets law has come into force, a move that has drawn concern over the potential risks of doing business in the country while also raising alarm bells in Taiwan.
Enacted on Wednesday (May 1), changes to the Law on Safeguarding State Secrets broaden the scope and depth of the legislation while also strengthening control by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Together, these are the biggest tweaks to the state secrets law in more than a decade, and the second revision since it was first introduced in 1988. A draft was made public in late October last year before being passed with minor edits by the country’s top legislative body in February.
Beijing has framed the changes as necessary in addressing the challenges of the day while analysts view them as a reflection of its overriding focus on national security.
“Even in the economic sector, the administration has indicated a willingness to prioritise national security over market expectations. The authorities see it as a response to a perceived new security landscape,” said Dr Lim Tai Wei, adjunct senior fellow at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) East Asian Institute.
China’s security authority has increasingly sounded the alarm over growing spying risks from foreign intelligence agencies. The Ministry of State Security has also urged everyday citizens to be on guard, recently warning of “espionage traps” in online dating and job hunting.
The changes to the state secrets law are also part of the continuing control over the flow of information under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, said Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian from NUS’ Department of Political Science.
“The law is vague and broad. There is substantial uncertainty over its application and limits, including whether these remain more or less stable over time.
“Authorities and agencies have a wide remit in controlling information, bringing the full force of the state to bear if necessary.”