National Administration of State Secrets Protection

The National Administration of State Secret Protection is an institution of the State Council of China that is responsible for the protection of classified information. It is under the Chinese Communist Party's Central Secrecy Commission.^[1]

National Administration of State Secrets Protection

国家保密局
National Emblem of China
Agency overview
Formed	March 1988
Jurisdiction	China
Headquarters	49 Dongrongxian Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing
Agency executive	Li Zhaozong, Director
Parent agency	Central Secrecy Commission General Office
Website	www.gjbmj.gov.cn

National Administration of State Secrets Protection
Simplified Chinese	国家保密局
Literal meaning	State Secret-Protecting Bureau
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guójiā Bǎomì Jú
Office of the Central Secrecy Commission
Simplified Chinese	中央保密委员会办公室
Literal meaning	Central Secret-Protecting Commission Office
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngyāng Bǎomì Wěiyuánhuì Bàngōngshì

Under the "one institution with two names" arrangement, it is also the Office of the Central Secrecy Commission under the General Office of the CCP Central Committee.^[2]

Overview

Main article: Classified information: People's Republic of China

The administration is responsible for the protection of classified information.^[3] The Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (which is not operative in the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao) makes it a crime to release a state secret. Under the 1989 "Law on Guarding State Secrets,"^[4] state secrets are defined as those that concern:

1. Major policy decisions on state affairs;
2. The building of national defence and in the activities of the armed forces;
3. Diplomatic activities and in activities related to foreign countries and those to be maintained as commitments to foreign countries;
4. National economic and social development;
5. Science and technology;
6. Activities for preserving state security and the investigation of criminal offences; and
7. Any other matters classified as "state secrets" by the national State Secrets Bureau.^[2]

Secrets can be classified into one of three categories:

• Top secret (绝密): Defined as "vital state secrets whose disclosure would cause extremely serious harm to state security and national interests";
• Highly secret (机密): Defined as "important state secrets whose disclosure would cause serious harm to state security and national interests"; and
• Secret (秘密): Defined as "ordinary state secrets whose disclosure would cause harm to state security and national interests".^[2]