China Has Revised Its State Secrets Law, Worrying Foreign Businesses - TaiwanPlus News

China just updated its state secrets law in a move aimed at enhancing its national security. Sally, what is this new revision? On Wednesday, China broadened the scope of its state secrets laws aimed at bolstering state control over Internet companies. Beijing hopes it will strengthen national security and counter espionage measures after the United States Central Intelligence Agency last year announced that it had strengthened its own networks in China. Now the original law covered the way that military facilities and Communist Party organs manage sensitive information. But the amendment that is now causing wider fears is that it now compels Internet companies, or so-called network operators. That’s huge. Companies like 10 Cent, Weibo and Bite Dance to monitor user posts and pass on or hand over any information or data stored on their networks to China’s state security apparatus if they ask for it. And Sally, what has the international response been? Well, the revision to the state secrets laws impacts Chinese tech firms, but it also impacts foreign businesses, who are now expressing worries about the laws unpredictability, uncertainty, and lack of clarity. And there’s particular concern about a new category called Work Secrets, which they say is ambiguously defined and vulnerable to inconsistent interpretation. Which could lead to arbitrary arrests, Which is why here Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council that deals with cross Strait relations has issued A strongly worded caution against visiting China, now particularly concerned about the over 100,000 Taiwanese people doing business over there. The changes come amid growing tensions between the US and China and widespread global concerns about Beijing clamping down on online content. They eat deems as harmful to its own interests. So while China claims a need. To protect its national security, this update to the state secrets law could end up harming its openness for business.