Commission aims to ensure cybersecurity

A commission will be established to discuss important policies on cybersecurity and organize reviews, according to a document released by the Cyberspace Administration of China on Tuesday.

The document, on the security of internet products and services, was released to gather public opinion. The administration will establish the commission with other authorities.

The document proposed that internet products and services related to national security and the public interests should undergo a review.

According to the administration, reviews will focus on whether the products or services are secure and sufficiently managed, and on assessing risks of illegal control, disruption or interruption.

The reviews will also evaluate risks of providers using their products or services to illegally gather, store, process or make use of user information.

In addition, unfair competition, monopolization or any other functions that may damage users' interests will be reviewed, according to the administration.

Any service or product that fails the review will be blacklisted, making them off limits for all Communist Party of China organs, government departments and key industries.

Product, service targeted

The review is merely looking into important internet products and services, an official with the CAC said.

It will not hinder foreign products from entering the Chinese market, but rather will boost confidence in such products and services, the official said. Authorities will treat internet products and services from home and abroad equally.

Zuo Xiaodong, vice-president of the China Information Security Research Institute, a government think tank, said the regulation means that while products and services that fail the review will be blacklisted, it does not mean that all internet products and services purchased by Party organs, government departments and key industries will be reviewed.

Law-based regulation

China has introduced a number of internet laws and regulations and is home to about 700 million internet users, the world's largest online population.

In December, the CAC released a cyberspace security strategy, guaranteeing cyberspace sovereignty and national security, protecting information infrastructure and promising action against cyberterror and cybercrime.

In November, a cybersecurity law stipulated that the government would take measures to "monitor, defend and handle cybersecurity risks and threats originating from within the country or overseas sources, protecting key information infrastructure from attack, intrusion, disturbance and damage".

In July 2015, China's top legislature adopted a new national security law highlighting cybersecurity and demanding the establishment of a coordinated, efficient crisis management system.

(China Daily 02/09/2017 page4)