Counterespionage Law

RECOMMENDED ANALYSIS

China Law Translate › Bad as It Ever Was: Notes on the Espionage Law

Analysis of China’s revised Counterespionage Law and related legal authorities

Counterespionage Law of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国反间谍法

[Current Text: Chinese · Δ | English › NPC; China Law Translate · Δ]

(adopted and effective Nov. 1, 2014; revised Apr. 26, 2023, effective July 1, 2023)

• Status: Revision passed
• Legislative Body (Vote): NPCSC (N/A)
• Principal Drafter & Submitter: NPC Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee
• Legislative Plans
  • Five-year: 14^th NPCSC Category I
  • Annual: 2022 (backup), 2023
• Legislative History & Text
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #3 (final): Apr. 24 – 26, 2023 (Current Text ⇧)
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #2: Dec. 27 – 30, 2022 (Chinese · Δ | English · Δ) 💬
    • Public consultation: Dec. 30, 2022 – Jan. 28, 2023
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #1: Aug. 30 – Sept. 2, 2022 (text N/A)
• Legislative Records
  • Explanation (Aug. 30, 2022)
  • Report on Status of Revision (Dec. 27, 2022)
  • Report on Results of Deliberation (Apr. 24, 2023)
  • Report on Suggestions for Revision (Apr. 25, 2023)
  • Presidential Order (Apr. 26, 2023)

NPC Observer Coverage

• NPCSC Releases Wildlife and Tibetan Plateau Legislation for Public Comments, But Withholds Draft Counterespionage Law (Sept. 2, 2022)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Telecom Fraud, Wildlife Protection, Ecological Conservation of the Tibetan Plateau & Counterespionage (July 29, 2022)

Last updated: August 1, 2025, 23:40 EDT