China will adopt new security laws in 2024 to “protect its sovereignty”, a senior official said on Friday, amid ongoing efforts by President Xi Jinping to eliminate any threat to his rule, AFP reported, Agerpres reported.

A third member of the Communist government, Zhao Leji, made the announcement in Beijing during the current annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), where he is chairman of the Standing Committee, the roughly 170-member body that drafts and votes on laws.

Unveiling the legislative agenda for this year, Zhao promised on Friday that lawmakers would work, among other things, to “resolutely protect China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.”

“In order to modernize China’s national security system and capabilities, Beijing will pass the “Emergency Management Law, Energy Law, Atomic Energy Law and Hazardous Chemical Safety Law,” he said in his speech.

China’s National People’s Congress, which is actually very dependent on the ruling Communist Party, also plans to review “the national defense education law and the cyber security law,” he told lawmakers.

Zhao Leji did not provide details on the content of the new laws or the exact date of their adoption.

The annual session of parliament is an opportunity for the media, observers and ordinary Chinese to look at the government’s strategy for the coming year.

The NPC also has to introduce and change laws in various areas, from financial stability to health care.

“National defense and cyber security education are clear priorities for Chinese lawmakers,” Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a Hong Kong-based professor and expert on Chinese politics, told AFP. – They want to strengthen the legal framework in these areas. This is one of Xi’s priorities,” he added.

Xi Jinping has been “tightening the screws” in the security sector since coming to power

Last year, China approved a revised anti-espionage law that greatly expands its definition, giving Beijing more power than ever to punish what it deems to be a threat to national security.

The State Secrets Act, passed in February, added new categories of confidential information, including “working secrets,” meaning information that is not a state secret but could “interfere with the normal operation of (state) bodies or work units” if disclosed.

“One of the main features of parliamentary activity under Xi Jinping (who has been in power since late 2012) is the focus on national security laws,” Changhao Wei, founder of the NPC Observer website, told AFP.

He recalled that China has passed more than ten national security laws since 2014, including anti-terrorism, intelligence and data security laws.

“A lot of work has been done to implement all the necessary legal infrastructure to protect ‘national security,'” Changhao Wei said.

Under Xi Jinping, “national security is a priority area of ​​legislation and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future,” he added.