Order of the President of the People's Republic of China

No. 58

The Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China, adopted at the 22nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on October 17, 2020, is hereby promulgated, and shall come into force as of April 15, 2021.

President of the People's Republic of China

Xi Jinping 

October 17, 2020

Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China

(Adopted at the 22nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress on October 17, 2020)

Contents

Chapter I  General Provisions

Chapter II  Biosecurity Risk Prevention and Control System

Chapter III  Prevention and Control of Outbreak of Major Emerging Infectious Diseases, Animal and Plant Epidemics

Chapter IV  Security of Biotechnology Research, Development and Application

Chapter V  Biosecurity of Pathogenic Microorganism Laboratories

Chapter VI  The Security of Human Genetic Resources and Biological Resources

Chapter VII  Prevention of Bioterrorism and Biological Weapon Threats

Chapter VIII  Biosecurity Capacity Building

Chapter IX  Legal Liabilities

Chapter X  Supplementary Provision

Chapter I  General Provisions

Article 1  This Law is enacted for the purpose of maintaining national security, preventing and responding to biosecurity risks, safeguarding lives and health of the people, protecting biological resources and ecological environment, advancing the sound development of biotechnology, pursuing the building of a community with a shared future for humankind and realizing the harmony between humanity and nature.

Article 2  For purposes of this law, "Biosecurity" refers to the status that the state effectively prevents and responds to threats of dangerous biological agents and related factors, that stable and sound development can be achieved in biotechnology, that people's lives, health and ecosystems are not threatened or jeopardized, and that the state has the capacity to maintain national security and sustainable development in the biological field.

This Law shall apply to the following activities:

(1) Prevention and control of the outbreak of the major emerging infectious diseases as well as animal and plant epidemics;

(2) Research, development and application of biotechnology;

(3) Biosecurity management of pathogenic microorganism laboratories;

(4) Security management of human genetic resources and biological resources;

(5) Preventing invasion of alien species and protecting biodiversity;

(6) Responding to resistance of microorganism;

(7) Preventing bioterrorism attacks and defending against threats of biological weapons; and

(8) Other biosecurity-related activities.

Article 3  Biosecurity is an important part of national security. It shall be maintained by adopting a holistic approach to national security, coordinating development and security, and adhering to the principles of people first, risk prevention, classified management, and coordination and cooperation.

Article 4  Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China over national biosecurity work, national biosecurity leadership system shall be established and improved, the construction of national biosecurity risk prevention, control and governance system shall be strengthened so as to improve the capacity for national biosecurity governance.

Article 5  The state encourages biotechnology innovation, strengthens construction of biosecurity infrastructure and training of biotechnology talents, supports development of bioindustry,  and improves biotechnology by innovative drive,so as to enhance the capacities for guaranteeing biosecurity.

Article 6  The state shall strengthen international cooperation in the field of biosecurity, fulfill obligations provided by international treaties that the People's Republic of China has concluded or acceded to, support participation in biotechnology exchanges and cooperation as well as international rescue in biosecurity incidents, take an active part in research and formulation of international biosecurity rules, and promote improvement of global biosecurity governance.

Article 7  The people's governments at all levels and relevant departments thereof shall strengthen publicity and popularization of biosecurity laws, regulations and biosecurity knowledge, guide community-level people's self-governing organizations and social organizations in publicizing biosecurity laws, regulations and biosecurity knowledge, and enhance biosecurity awareness in the whole society.

Relevant scientific institutes, medical institutions and other enterprises and public institutions shall incorporate biosecurity laws, regulations and biosecurity knowledge into their education and training programs so as to strengthen students’ and professionals' awareness of biosecurity and ethics.

The news media shall publicize knowledge on biosecurity laws, regulations and biosecurity, uncover violations of biosecurity by media supervision, and enhance the sense of social responsibility for safeguarding biosecurity among the general public.

Article 8  No entities or individuals shall jeopardize biosecurity.

Any entity or individual shall have the right to report acts that jeopardize biosecurity; the departments that receive such a report shall promptly handle it in accordance with law.

Article 9  For entities and individuals making outstanding contributions to biosecurity, honors and rewards shall be commended and rewarded by people's governments at or above the county level and the relevant departments in accordance with the relevant regulations of the state.