China slams US for criticizing Chinese anti-terror law

Americas, News, US March 4, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

China has slammed the Unites States after Washington criticized a Chinese anti-terror law that would force tech firms to surrender key information to Communist authorities.

The law, which was made public for consultation last November, would require all telecommunications and Internet service providers to help the Beijing government in preventing the spread of terrorism-related content.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it makes perfect sense to protect information security using the country’s own legislative system.

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry defended the law on Tuesday as purely internal and “a requirement for the Chinese government to prevent and combat terrorism,” AFP reported.

“The legislation is China’s domestic affair,” spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular news conference, calling on Washington to “view it in a correct and objective way.”

“We oppose any kind of cyber surveillance actions using information technology advantages.

“All countries are paying the highest attention to information security nowadays, and no one is in a position to criticize other countries’ moves in protecting information safety,” Hua said.

Hua also noted that “not too long ago, it was disclosed that some countries embedded spying software for surveillance in SIM card makers.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s reaction came after Obama said in an interview with Reuters on Monday that Washington has “made it very clear to them that this is something they are going to have to change if they are to do business with the United States.”

The Human Rights Watch has also urged the Chinese government to revise the draft legislation of the law. In January, the group’s China director, Sophie Richardson, called for the draft law to be brought in line with international legal standards.

HN/MHB/AS