BEIJING -- As the guarding of state secrets faces new problems and challenges in the new era, the revision of the Law on Guarding State Secrets is a necessary move to improve relevant work, said an official with China's National Administration of State Secrets Protection.

The official made the remarks when responding to a media query regarding the adoption of a revised Law on Guarding State Secrets.

The protection of state secrets is an important field in the work of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the country, and played a significant role in the founding of the People's Republic of China and in each historical period of socialist revolution, development and reform, said the official.

The current Law on Guarding State Secrets was enacted in 1988 and revised in 2010, and has played an important role in protecting state secrets and safeguarding national security and interests. However, as profound changes have taken place in domestic and international conditions, the law requires improvements to better address the new situations and tasks, the official noted.

According to the official, the revised law highlights the importance of upholding the CPC's unified leadership over work to guard state secrets. Furthermore, it makes improvements to the provisions regarding the classification and declassification of state secrets, such as clarifying the responsibilities of relevant personnel.

Following the adoption of the law, measures including enhancing promotion and improving supporting mechanisms will be taken to ensure its effective implementation, said the official.

The revised law was passed at a session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee on Tuesday, and will take effect on May 1, 2024.