Legal framework for counterterrorism keeps improving in China: white paper

BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has an improving legal framework for counterterrorism, said a white paper on Tuesday.

The country has accelerated its efforts to build a counterterrorism legal framework, said the white paper, noting that national conditions, constitutional principles and international experience have played an important role in the process.

Over the past decades, China has amended and improved its criminal laws, made a counterterrorism law, and upgraded the counterterrorism provisions of other relevant laws, according to the white paper titled "China's Legal Framework and Measures for Counterterrorism."

This has strengthened systematic coordination among laws, closed legal loopholes, improved areas of weakness, and formed synergy in counterterrorism practice, it added.

China has also improved its administrative regulations to strengthen the coordination and cooperation among administrative bodies and define the responsibilities of all parties, said the document, adding that Beijing and a handful of other localities have crafted new regulations based on their own realities in counterterrorism.

To better implement laws and regulations related to counterterrorism and improve their work in the field, central departments and local governments have formulated working rules that meet their specific needs, according to the document.

Thanks to more than four decades of experience, a counterterrorism legal framework based on the Constitution has been gradually formed in China, said the white paper.

In the legal framework, the Counterterrorism Law is the centerpiece, the criminal laws and National Security Law play major roles and other laws serve as supplements, according to the document.

It also covers administrative regulations, judicial interpretations, local regulations, and departmental and local government rules, added the document.