China’s Revised Legislation Likely To Gain International Cooperation

29 October 2011

China changes its definition of terrorism to fit in closer with international practices. The revised piece of legislation formally states government actions against declared individuals or groups of terrorist. One action includes freezing terrorist’s assets. This will make it easier for law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute terrorist. Changes on this legislation are due to the ongoing violence acts from retaliating exile groups. This is a strategic move on behalf of China which will likely promote international cooperation on terrorism. “Increasingly the Chinese government has realized it must work with international partners to fight the existing terrorist threat to China,” said Rohan Gunaratna, a terrorism expert at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. The expected outcome for China is to bridge gaps with other countries such as the U.S.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/china-clarifies-terrorism-definition-in-hopes-of-winning-international-backing/2011/10/29/gIQARHDNRM_story.html

(Reliability: 9)

Comment: The new definition states that terrorism is an act whose “goal is to create terror in society, harm public security or threaten national institutions and international organizations and by using violence, sabotage, intimidation and other methods to cause or intend to cause human casualties, great loss to property, harm to public infrastructure, chaos to the social order and other severe social damage.” It further states that, “Agencies involved in counterterrorism will apply this definition to determine which groups or individuals should be placed on terrorist lists, and once listed the government will freeze their assets, according to the resolution.”