China lawmakers consider law on cyber security "urgent"

Lawmakers, meeting at at panel discussions of the bimonthly session of the top legislature, on Friday considered the legislation of a cyber security law an urgent task.

The draft law was submitted to lawmakers for its first reading at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, which runs from June 24 to July 1.

Lawmakers believe China, a major user of the Internet, is confronted with increasingly worrying threats to cyber security, which concerns national security and the rights and interests of citizens and organizations.

They held that a law on cyber security should be in place to react to the situation.

The 68-article draft law aims to "safeguard cyberspace sovereignty and national security." It also suggests mechanisms to guarantee the safety of Internet products and services, operation, network data, and information.

Key information-related infrastructure will be protected, according to the draft, which also stresses that citizens' personal information should be protected from theft, leakage or illegal use.

The lawmakers at the panel discussions said the draft law highlights the rights of Internet users and services, protects the orderly and free flow of information, and would spur innovation in Internet technology.

They suggested the draft should be further improved by taking into the input of the lawmakers and the public. Endi