China has stepped up the protection of its military-industrial facilities from espionage and sabotage with new rules issued on Monday.
The Regulation on the Protection of Important Military Industrial Facilities highlights the importance Beijing attaches to its defence industrial bases amid increased global and regional tension.
Facilities engaged in the research, production, testing and storage of important weapons and equipment for national defence research, and production enterprises and institutions will be deemed “protected areas”.
The designation is intended to guarantee their safety, secrecy and functioning, according to the regulation, which takes effect from September 15.
It says any act of disrupting, jeopardising or endangering important military industrial facilities, or spying on them, will be punishable by law.