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Chinese lawmakers began reviewing draft laws during the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), with a draft amendment to the Cybersecurity Law submitted on Monday for its first reading to strengthen legal responsibilities.

The Standing Committee of the 14th NPC, China's top legislature, is set to hold its 17th session in Beijing from September 8-12, according to the Xinhua News Agency, as lawmakers will review a slew of draft laws, including a draft atomic energy law, a draft law on public health emergency response, as well as draft laws on other pressing issues.

Among them, the draft to the Cybersecurity Law stipulates better alignment with other relevant laws, including the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law, and the Administrative Penalty Law, to ensure a more coherent legal framework, Xinhua reported. 

It also proposes adopting a targeted approach by clearly defining legal responsibilities for different types of violations, such as network operation security and network information security.

China's Cybersecurity Law is a fundamental piece of legislation in the field of cybersecurity, which has been in effect since June 1, 2017.

Through its alignment with data security laws and clear responsibility framework, the draft underscores a step to the high-quality development of China's cybersecurity landscape at both the legal and enforcement levels, Qin An, deputy director of the expert committee on counter-terrorism and cyber security governance at the China Society of Police Law, told the Global Times on Monday.

This progress marks an active move to help elevate public cybersecurity awareness into legally grounded consciousness, the expert noted, adding that it could promote the transformation of public awareness into tangible actions, further supporting the overall high-quality development of cybersecurity in China.

During the session, a package of amendments to existing laws, including the Arbitration Law and the Prison Law, is also set to be reviewed, Xinhua said, and the draft amendment to the Prison Law was submitted on Monday for a second review, according to a chinanews.com report.

The revised draft for the Prison Law introduces provisions on the enforcement and administration of sentences for foreign nationals, according to the report.

The draft specifies that prisons must protect the lawful rights and interests of foreign inmates and ensure fair treatment during sentence enforcement. Matters concerning visits will follow relevant state regulations, and the transfer of prisoners will be conducted in line with the law on international criminal judicial assistance and other applicable laws, the report said.

The draft also refines rules governing the conduct of prison police. It specifies that accountability for failing to perform duties in accordance with the law must take into account the facts, nature, consequences and subjective fault, and be handled in accordance with the law.

On the same day, the draft revision to the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law was submitted for its first reading, as part of efforts to improve the market exit system, Xinhua reported.

Qin added that this series of draft laws represents an important step forward in enhancing the high-quality governance system and capabilities of the country.