China has enacted a national law on protection and exploitation of the countrys land border areas.
Highlights:
The new law has been enacted to maintain national security and manage border-related matters at the legal level amid regional tensions.
The new border law will come into effect from January 1, 2022. It mandates the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of China to counter any invasion, encroachment, infiltration, [or] provocation across the land borders of China.
The law also provides a legal framework for hard border closures, if needed.
The law requires the Chinese government to strengthen border DEFENCE, support economic & social development, and open up border areas.