China proposes further tightening of internet oversight
China proposes further tightening of internet oversight
Mon Feb 6, 2017 | 11:22pm EST
China is proposing a further tightening of controls over
the internet with the possible establishment of a new commission to vet
internet services and hardware, Beijing's internet regulator has said.
China adopted a controversial cyber security law in
November to counter what Beijing says are growing threats such as hacking and
terrorism, but the law triggered concerns among foreign business and rights
groups.
Overseas critics of the law say it threatens to shut
foreign technology companies out of various sectors, and includes contentious
requirements for security reviews and for data to be stored on servers in
China.
New draft rules, released by China's internet regulator
at the weekend, propose setting up an intra-departmental body to examine and
coordinate policies nationwide.
The commission would consider risks to national security
and stop Communist Party and government departments from buying online products
and services that have not been approved.
It is not clear if, or when, the new body would be set
up. The proposed rules are open for public comment until March 4. Draft
proposals often end up looking different when they are actually passed into law
in China.
The proposed new commission, and the adoption of the
cyber security law, come amid a broad crackdown by President Xi Jinping on
civil society, including rights lawyers and the media, which critics say is
meant to quash dissent.
In 2015, Beijing adopted a sweeping national security law
that aimed to make all key network infrastructure and information systems
"secure and controllable".
China keeps a close watch over the internet, deleting
comments on social media it deems harmful and blocking popular foreign websites
including Google and Facebook.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by John Ruwitch and
Paul Tait)
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