China must handle cybersecurity threats from abroad more forcefully, according to a draft law submitted to the top legislature for a second reading on Monday.

The draft Cybersecurity Law has a new article stating that the State must monitor and deal with threats from abroad to protect the country's information infrastructure from attack, intrusion, disturbance or damage.

The draft was submitted to the National People's Congress Standing Committee on Monday at the start of its six-day bimonthly session.

The draft law includes sanctions against threats to cybersecurity.

Zhang Haiyang, deputy head of the NPC Law Committee, said the State should encourage businesses and institutions to evaluate and certify their cybersecurity status.

The State supports research on data security protection and the opening of public data sources. The draft law stipulates that big data applications must make information anonymous and clearly defines limits on the use of citizens' personal information.

The draft stipulates that operators must comply with social and business ethics and accept supervision by both government and the public.

It includes protections for key information infrastructure and stipulates that Chinese citizens' personal information and other data collected in China should remain in the country.

(China Daily 06/28/2016 page4)