China unveils rules for implementing Law on Guarding State Secrets

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council to unveil a set of rules for implementing the country's Law on Guarding State Secrets, which will take effect on September 1.

The regulations, consisting of six chapters and 74 articles, aim to ensure the implementation of the newly revised Law on Guarding State Secrets in February.

The regulations outline further efforts to refine the leadership and management mechanisms related to state-secret protection and to specify the responsibility of relevant parties in a more nuanced fashion.

The document also urges efforts to manage the delineation of classified items and the protection of state secrets in an improved manner, and to enhance the supervision of relevant work.

According to the regulations, commendations and rewards will be granted to organizations and individuals who have ensured the safety of state secrets in case of emergency or have promptly reported on the activities of leaking or illegally acquiring state secrets, among other meritorious acts.

Internet operators should abide by confidentiality laws and protocols, establish a series of mechanisms to expose and handle violations, and devise emergency plans for state-secret leakage, according to the regulations.

The regulations also urge strict checks and management of personnel engaged in confidential work and specify different state-secret leakage scenarios in public institutions where responsible personnel will be held accountable and punished due to their violation of relevant statutes.