China is reportedly considering a very controversial cybersecurity law by which authorities are given power to shut down the internet and block online communications in case "emerging social security events" take place.

China's National People's Congress is not clear what these emerging social security events are, as it could refererence anything from a localized protest to widespread violent attacks, the Voice of America noted.

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However, based on the law's current draft, local governments must first secure the central government's approval before the Internet can be shut down, although the law does not specify for how long authorities can block the internet.

"The contrast between China's internet and the internet in the rest of the world is increasingly widening and a barrier is being built," William Long, an IT blogger in China, said. "The obstacles to the flow of information from the rest of the world to China are growing and foreign companies are finding more and more difficult to expand in their market in China."

The new law has been a source of controversy among the public and foreign business establishments since its launching on June last year. While the government claims that the law will uphold the country's sovereignty and protect netizens from threats, the public questioned whose interest the country is really putting first.

"The power to shut down the internet is aimed at protecting those officials who arbitrarily bully and oppress the public, isn't it? True security is not for the public, but to prevent the people from capturing images of truth," one Weibo user commented.

Tagschina, censorship, Internet censorship, China Internet Censorship