BEIJING, Nov 1 - China passed a counter-espionage law on Saturday aimed at tightening state security and helping build a "comprehensive" national security system, state media reported. The law will allow authorities to seal or seize any property linked to activities deemed harmful to the country, the Xinhua news agency said. Authorities can also ask organisations or individuals to stop or modify any behaviour regarded as damaging to China's interests, Xinhua said. Refusal to comply would allow enforcement agencies to confiscate properties. Possession of espionage equipment, as defined by the state security department, had also been made illegal, Xinhua said. The news agency gave no further details. As China already has broad laws governing state secrets and security, it was not clear to what extent the new law - passed by revising and re-naming a previous national security law for the first time in 21 years - would enhance policing powers. The revised security law followed a Communist Party meeting last month that promised to allow courts more independence and curtail officials' influence over legal cases, though the vows were criticised by some as lacking in substance. Parliament also revised an "administrative procedure law" that would expand people's right to sue the government. The defendants in these legal cases, such as government officials, would be fined or detained if they "force a plaintiff to withdraw the suit through illegal means such as threats or fraud", Xinhua said.
More
Mammoth project in Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh quadrangle transferred to Hanoi-based property firm
The 8,600-square-meter complex project intersects four main streets Pham Ngu Lao, Pho Duc Chinh, Le Thi Hong Gam, and Calmette
Read more
Elon Musk's election promise of $1 million daily giveaway sparks call for probe
Musk on Saturday gave a $1 million check to an attendee at the rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1 day agoThree decades later, first brown dwarf ever found offers a surprise
Brown dwarfs are neither a star nor a planet, but something in between
2 days agoWorld Bank says 26 poorest nations in worst financial shape since 2006
The report finds that these economies are poorer today on average than they were on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic
1 week agoColombian coca leaf farming hit two-decade high in 2023, UN says
Colombian authorities have for decades fought to reduce drug trafficking, but the country remains one of the world's leading cocaine producers
2 days ago51-year-old Turkish shooter becomes viral star of 2024 Paris Olympics
Photos of him competing with minimal gear in the competition were widely shared
2 months agoLatest news
Man blocks on-duty ambulance in Ho Chi Minh City
The man's motives are unknown
Vietnam swears in new state president
Luong Cuong is the successor to Party General Secretary To Lam
Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News — October 22
Good morning from Vietnam!
Vietnam to amend national power plan to include nuclear energy
The PDP8 will be amended in a way to also add more renewables to the mix, including solar and wind
Int’l banks raise Vietnam’s GDP growth forecast for 2024
Vietnam's economic growth momentum is relatively strong, with improvements in many areas such as export and import, manufacturing, retail, real estate, and tourism
Mammoth project in Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh quadrangle transferred to Hanoi-based property firm
The 8,600-square-meter complex project intersects four main streets Pham Ngu Lao, Pho Duc Chinh, Le Thi Hong Gam, and Calmette
Ecotourism thrives with visitors seeking green activities in south-central Vietnam
Lodging facilities and businesses have also limited single-use plastic products
SE Asia’s largest hot-air balloon festival might kick off in Da Lat
If the festival proceeds, it will feature hot-air balloon performances, paid hot-air balloon rides, paragliding shows, and carnival street parades
Vietnam PM says aiming to lift 2024 growth above 7%
Vietnam's gross domestic product is expected to grow by 6.8%-7.0% this year, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told parliament on Monday
3 dead as overturned truck crushes motorbike in Vietnam
The truck crushed three people on a motorbike and killed them instantly