China's top legislator said Wednesday the formulation and implementation of the new law on national security would have far-reaching effect for the nation.
Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said the new law would be of great significance in safeguarding national security and protecting the people's fundamental interests.
He said the law would also be important in safeguarding the long-term stability of the nation.
Zhang made the remarks after the law was adopted by the national legislature on Wednesday. Of the 155 lawmakers present at the bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee, 154 voted for the legislation. One abstained.
It was signed into force by President Xi Jinping later on the day.
The new law, which highlights cyber security and demanding the establishment of a coordinated, efficient crisis management system, covers a wide spectrum of areas including defense, finance, science and technology, culture and religion.
Outer space activities and assets, as well as those at ocean depths and in polar regions, were also brought under the national security umbrella.
Zhang said a lot of research and verification was done to improve the law and opinions from the public were widely heard before the law was adopted.
The first national security law took effect in 1993 and primarily regulated the work of national security agencies whose major duty is counterespionage. It was renamed the Counterespionage Law in November.
