A good and effective law to fight terrorism

Border police officers conduct an anti-terror drill in Bortala, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, this month. The top legislature passed the country's first anti-terrorism law on Sunday, together with several other laws. ZHANG JIA/XINHUA

China is a victim of terrorism, and to fight the menace and better protect its national interests, it has been strengthening its security measures. And with security concerns intensifying within and outside the country, China has enacted a law to fight terrorism.

Chinese lawmakers should be applauded for having worked tirelessly to draft the country's first counter-terrorism law, which was passed by the National People's Congress Standing Committee late last year and took effect on Jan 1 this year. This highly anticipated law will provide legal support to China's fight against terrorism, including cooperation with the international community.

Although a recent poll showed most Chinese people support the law, some countries and their media outlets have voiced "concerns", alleging the law is "controversial", "will do more harm than good against the threat of terrorism", and claiming it could restrict freedom of expression and association, and constrict some country's trade with and investments in China.

Needless to say, such remarks and allegations are groundless.

The new law, inspired by some foreign laws, clearly defines "terrorism" as any proposition or activity that "infringes on personal and property rights, and menaces government organs and international organizations". It tells the world that taking measures to prevent the spread of and cracking down on terrorism amounts to safeguarding human rights. The Chinese lawmakers have been reiterating that the principle of this law is to regulate the process of carrying out the law and preventing people's legal rights from being violated. So any worry about human rights violation is unnecessary.