New law would ban fake intel officers
Anyone who impersonates an intelligence officer in China could soon face criminal sanctions if the latest draft of a national intelligence law draft that was deliberated by lawmakers on Thursday is passed in its current form.
The draft was submitted to the Standing Committee of the 12th National People’s Congress for its second reading at the start of the committee’s bi-monthly session, the Xinhua News Agency reported Friday.
China will protect and honor individuals and organizations that support or coordinate with national intelligence staff, and award those who have made “great contributions” to national intelligence work, the draft states.
The draft stipulates that national intelligence agencies and their staff are not allowed to take advantage of their positions to seek personal benefits, and anyone found to have done so will be held accountable in accordance with the law.
In addition, intelligence agencies should help individuals and organizations report information, while those who attempt to deceive the public in the name of national intelligence may face criminal charges, it says.
The law was first read and deliberated by the top legislature in December 2016.
“The intelligence law will not only improve law enforcement but also make citizens understand and support national security work,” Yang Jianying, a professor at the School of Public Administration of the University of International Relations, told the Global Times in a previous interview.