Beijing Reworks Draft of Anti-terror Law

The Straits Times

27 February 2015

CHINA has made major changes to the draft of its first counter-terrorism law that had sparked concern about potential state abuse due to its broad and vague definition of terrorism.

A draft released last November had defined terrorism as “any thought, speech or activity that, by means of violence, sabotage or threat, aims to generate social panic, influence national policymaking, create ethnic hatred, subvert state power, or split the state”.

But a new draft has omitted “thought” in a definition that reads “any opinion or activity that, by means of violence, sabotage or threat, generates social panic, undermines public security and menaces government organs and international organisations”.

…Singapore-based terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna believes China’s anti-terror work could be stepped up after it has established a legal framework through the law, which will also have a deterrent effect on future terrorists.

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