[JURIST] Zhao Bingzhi, president of the criminal law research committee of the China Law Society [official website, in Chinese] told China Daily Thursday that China is preparing to enact anti-terrorism legislation [JURIST news archive], which Zhao described as a "separate law" designed to provide a legal framework to better "fight terrorism." The Daily reported that legislation will be considered by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) [official backgrounder] for introduction within China's next five-year plan, which is slated to begin in 2008.

In 2005, a senior Chinese government official said that China was drafting new anti-terrorism laws [JURIST report], primarily to counter the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) [MIPT backgrounder], a separatist Uyghur Islamic group which China says is "an integral part of Bin Laden's terrorist forces" [Time report]. The US Department of State 2005 report on terrorism said [report, PDF] that ETIM is linked to al Qaeda and has received "training and financial assistance" from the organization. ETIM operates primarily in northwest China in the Uygur Autonomous Region. UPI has more.