China Internet regulator says cyber security law not a trade barrier

BEIJING -- China's cyber security law, which will go into effect from Thursday, is not aimed at limiting foreign companies' access to the Chinese market, the country's internet regulator said Wednesday.

The law is designed to safeguard sovereignty in cyberspace, national security, the public interest, as well as the rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations, according to the the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) in a statement.

"It does not restrict foreign companies or their technology and products entering the Chinese market, neither does it limit the orderly, free flow of data in accordance with the law," the statement said. "It is within sovereignty to make laws and rules to regulate cyberspace based on the reality of the country while following international practice."

The law was passed in November 2016 at the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee after a third reading.

According to 2014 data from CAC, China is a frequent victim of cyberattacks. More than 10,000 websites are tampered with every month, with about 80 percent of government websites suffering attacks, mainly originating in the United States.