中國網絡安全法引發外國企業擔憂
China has passed a sweeping law tightening restrictions on internet freedoms, a contentious move that foreign businesses say threatens to shut them out of one of the world’s biggest technology markets.
中國通過了一部全面收緊對互聯網自由的限制的法律，外國企業表示，這一爭議舉動使得它們有被身爲世界最大科技市場之一的中國市場排除在外的危險。
Overseas groups have been lobbying Beijing to amend the cyber security law since it was first mooted in 2014 but the final version, which was adopted yesterday, left most of the controversial sections intact.
自《網絡安全法》2014年開始起草以來，海外團體一直在遊說北京方面修改草案內容。但昨日通過的最終版本顯示，大多數爭議內容仍原封不動地保留了下來。
Provisions in the new rules, which come into effect next June, require operators of “critical information infrastructure” to store certain personal and business data in China, undergo national security reviews and assist the country’s security agencies.
該法將於明年6月起生效，其中的條款要求“關鍵信息基礎設施”的運營者將特定個人信息和商業數據存儲在中國境內、進行國家安全評估並對中國的安全機構予以協助。
Analysts say other clauses could be used to ban foreign technology in communications, encryption and even the internet of things as China develops its own systems, products and algorithms.
分析師稱，在中國發展自己的系統、產品和算法之際，該法的其他條款可以用來在通信、加密、甚至物聯網領域封禁外國技術。
The American Chamber of Commerce in China said yesterday that the law was “a step backwards for innovation” because it placed restrictions on cross-border data flows and seemed “to emphasise protectionism rather than security”.
中國美國商會(American Chamber of Commerce)昨日表示，該法“對創新而言是倒退了一步”，因爲它對跨境數據流動施加了限制，似乎“着重於貿易保護主義而非安全”。
The broad restrictions “provide no security benefits but will create barriers to Chinese as well as foreign companies operating in industries where data needs to be shared internationally,” Jim Zimmerman, the chamber’s chairman, said in a statement.
這種大範圍的限制“並不帶來安全方面的好處，卻將製造障礙，不僅阻礙在數據需要全球共享的行業中經營的外國企業，也阻礙在這些行業中經營的中國企業，”該商會會長詹姆斯.齊默爾曼(James Zimmerman)在聲明中表示。
However, Zhao Zeliang of the Cyberspace Administration of China insisted yesterday that “we are not setting a trade barrier to foreign internet products, neither are we limiting technologies and products from coming into China”.
然而，中國國家互聯網信息辦公室(Cyberspace Administration of China)的趙澤良昨日堅稱，“網絡安全法不是要限制國外的技術、產品，也不是要搞貿易壁壘……我們的網絡安全法不是要限制國外的技術、產品的進入”。
He said: “The goal of the cyber security law is to protect internet safety [and] national security and protect the interests of the public.”
他說：“制定網絡安全法就是要維護網絡空間的國家主權，就是要維護網絡空間的國家安全，就是要維護公共利益。”
Mr Zhao added that the law was primarily aimed at preventing service providers from illegally obtaining user information or controlling user devices. He said it was aimed at controlling “unequal competition and unlawful profits”.
趙澤良補充稱，該法首先是要阻止產品和服務提供者非法獲取用戶信息或非法控制用戶設備。他稱該法旨在遏制產品和服務提供者“搞不正當競爭、謀取不正當利益”。
Shen Yi of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University defended the law, saying “there’s no need to exaggerate the requirements on key equipment and security products for foreign companies”.
復旦大學(Fudan University)國際關係與公共事務學院的沈逸爲該法辯護稱，“沒有必要誇大在關鍵設備和安全產品上對外國企業的要求”。
He highlighted the fact that the regulation on data transfers abroad only applied to “key information infrastructure providers”.
他強調了一個事實，即對向國外傳輸數據的監管只針對“關鍵信息基礎設施的提供者”。
James McGregor, head of consultancy Apco Worldwide, which works with a number of technology companies, said that much would depend on how the law was interpreted by regulators.
諮詢公司安可顧問(APCO Worldwide)大中華區主席麥健陸(James McGregor)稱，這很大程度上取決於監管者如何解釋該法。安可顧問與多家科技公司有業務聯繫。
“All laws in China contain vague definitions so regulators have lots of leeway and flexibility in interpretation and implementation,” he explained. “This cyber security law could be viewed as quite threatening to foreign technology companies.”
“中國所有法律都有模糊的定義，所以監管者在解釋和執行法律時有很大的空間和靈活度，”他解釋稱，“這部《網絡安全法》可以被視爲對外國科技公司具有相當的威脅。”
China’s internet is already subject to the world’s most sophisticated online censorship mechanism, known outside the country as the Great Firewall, but the restrictions proposed by the law go beyond what has previously been banned, according to freedom of speech advocates.
中國互聯網已然受制於世界上最複雜的網絡審查機制——該機制被國外稱爲“長城防火牆”(Great Firewall)。但言論自由的擁護者表示，《網絡安全法》所提出的那些限制的針對面不止限於之前已禁止的那些東西。
“The already heavily censored internet in China needs more freedom, not less,” Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
“中國已然被嚴格審查的互聯網需要更多自由，而不是更少。”人權觀察(Human Rights Watch)中國部主任索菲.理查森(Sophie Richardson)在一份聲明中表示。
The new law has been causing concern among foreign business for two years as a series of drafts have trickled out. In August, more than 40 industry groups worldwide expressed their fears in a letter to the country’s premier, Li Keqiang.
這部新法在一系列草案一點點公佈的過程中，已經讓外國企業擔心了兩年。8月份，全球超過40家行業團體致信中國總理李克強，表達了自己的擔憂。
