Beijing, June 27 (IANS): China must handle cybersecurity threats from abroad more forcefully, according to a draft law submitted to the top legislature for a second reading on Monday.

The draft Cybersecurity Law has a new article that the state must monitor and deal with threats from abroad to protect the information infrastructure from attack, intrusion, disturbance or damage, Xinhua news agency reported.

The draft was submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee during the start of its six-day bi-monthly session.

The draft law sets out sanctions against threats to cybersecurity.

Zhang Haiyang, deputy head of the NPC Law Committee, said that the state should encourage businesses and institutions to certify and evaluate their cybersecurity regime.

The state supports research on data security protection and the opening of public data sources. 

The draft law stipulates that big data applications must anonymise information and clearly defines appropriate use of citizens' personal information.

The draft stipulates that operators must comply with social and business ethics and accept supervision by both government and the public.

It also protects key information infrastructure and stipulates that Chinese citizens' personal information and other data collected in China should remain in the country.