China indicates a crackdown on privacy, data and monopolies will continue

The Chinese government has announced plans to draught new laws on national security, technology, and monopolies.

 The measures were announced late Wednesday by the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese State Council as part of a five-year strategy to “create a law-based administration.”

President Xi Jinping has made “rule of law governance” a hallmark of his presidency, which will be extended if he runs for a third term next year, as expected.

The blueprint, which was released by a state-run news agency, indicates that a crackdown on industry on privacy, data management, antitrust, and other issues will likely continue throughout the year.

China’s leadership announces plans to draft new laws on national security, technology and monopolies. Last month, Chinese authorities sanctioned former US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross for the first time under legislation geared at responding to international penalties, and last year, they imposed a national security statute on Hong Kong, using legal methods to defend interests beyond the mainland boundary.

The 2021-2025 strategy on “creating a rule of law government” is “envisioned to consolidate the connection between the government, markets, and society,” according to the state-owned Global Times.

According to the statement, the party and the government will strengthen and improve China’s antitrust and unfair competition laws as part of their efforts to create a “fair, transparent, and predictable business environment.”

The proposed legislation will also “promote the creation of a high-standard market that is cohesive, open, fair, and orderly,” according to the tabloid.

According to Reuters, the blueprint also outlined plans for developing laws that are compatible with new sectors such as the digital economy, internet finance, artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing.

By modifying the infectious illness law and the “border health and quarantine law,” the party and the government promised to boost emergency response and overhaul public health legislation, according to the agency.

The blueprint also included guidelines for the prevention and resolution of social conflicts, as well as a reminder to officials to “nip conflicts in the bud.”

It was also planned to improve legislation in areas such as education, race and religion, and biosecurity, while regulations governing food and medicine, natural resources, industrial safety, production, urban governance, and transportation would be vigorously implemented.