Law of the People's Republic of China on the Maintenance of State Secrets Law

Law of the People's Republic of China on the Maintenance of State Secrets Law

Order of the President [1988] No. 6

September 5, 1988

Adopted at the third session of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People's Congress on September 5, 1988

Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Scope and Security Classification of State Secrets
Chapter III Security System
Chapter IV Legal Liabilities
Chapter V Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I General Provisions
　
Article 1 This Law is hereby formulated for the purposes of the maintenance of state secrets, safeguarding the security and interests of the State and ensuring the smooth progress of reform, opening-up and socialist construction.
　
Article 2 State secrets refer to matters that concern the security and interests of the State and that, as determined by legal procedure, are known to a limited number of people for a given period of time.
　
Article 3 All state organs, armed forces, political parties, public organizations, enterprises, public institutions and citizens shall have the obligation to maintain state secrets.
　
Article 4 The maintenance of state secrets shall be carried out according to the principle of actively preventing the disclosure and putting priority on the most important so as to keep the state secrets confidential while facilitating the work in each field.
　
Article 5 The state secret-maintenance department shall take charge of the maintenance of state secrets throughout the country. The local secret- maintenance departments at or above the county level shall, within the scope of their functions and powers, take charge of the maintenance of state secrets in their respective administrative regions.
The central state organs shall, within the scope of their functions and powers, take charge of or guide the maintenance of state secrets in the respective organs and in the departments subordinate to them.
　
Article 6 State organs at or above the county level and units involving state secrets shall, according to actual circumstances, establish mechanism for security work or designate personnel to administrate the routine work of the maintenance of state secrets within the respective organs or units.
　
Article 7 Units or individuals that have made outstanding achievements in maintaining and protecting state secrets and in improving security techniques and measures shall be awarded.

Chapter II Scope and Security Classification of State Secrets
　
Article 8 State secrets shall include the following secrets that conform to the provisions of Article 2 hereof:
1. secrets concerning significant decisions on state affairs;
2. secrets in the national defense construction and in the activities of the armed forces;
3.
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