China unveils regulation on consular protection, assistance

China Economic Net

Beijing: Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed an order of the State Council to unveil a regulation on consular protection and assistance in China.

The 27-item regulation will come into effect on Sept. 1, 2023, according to an official statement.

As China’s international exchanges expand, so the people’s requirement for sound overseas public service by the government rapidly grows, and strengthening consular protection and assistance has become more urgent with the changes in the international security environment and the increase of both traditional and non-traditional security challenges, the statement said.

The enactment of the regulation will help make the country’s consular protection and assistance more law-based, institutionalized and standardized, the statement read.

The regulation provides a detailed description of the responsibilities of domestic institutions with personnel stationed overseas and the self-protection duties of overseas Chinese citizens, legal persons and unincorporated organizations in terms of consular protection and assistance.

It specifies the approaches to consular protection and assistance and the range of responsibilities of diplomatic missions stationed abroad, as well as the circumstances where the diplomatic missions should offer consular protection and assistance.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and diplomatic missions stationed abroad should release timely security alerts based on local circumstances, and cultural and tourism departments under the State Council should work with the MFA to establish a security risk and alert mechanism for overseas tourist destinations, according to the regulation.

It also underscores strengthening state support in terms of personnel, funds and other areas for consular protection and assistance work.