China will continue cracking down on illegal surveying and
mapping and investigate and punish leaks of state secrets, said an
official from the State Bureau of Survey and Mapping on
Thursday.
Seven government departments including State Bureau of Survey
and Mapping, Ministry of Information Industry and National
Administration for Protection of State Secrets have pledged to
strengthen control of the geographical information market, said the
official.
He said a total of 759 cases of illegal surveying and mapping
were found in 2006, and many of the cases involved foreign
organizations and individuals.
"The illegal activities have not been stopped and more cases
have been found this year," he said.
"Some top geographical information is significant to national
security. If the information is disclosed, national security will
be endangered," said the official.
Last year, two Japanese scholars were fined a total of 80,000
yuan (US$10,250) and deported for mapping the coordinates of an
airport and water facilities in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
It was feared their results could be used militarily.
A new regulation restricting surveying and mapping by foreigners
came into effect on March 1.
Foreign organizations and individuals who intend to engage in
surveying and mapping must obtain approval from the central
government and be supervised by local governments, according to the
regulation.
The Chinese law on surveying and mapping states that foreigners
must cooperate with a Chinese partner and the activities must not
involve state secrets or jeopardize national security.
The results of the surveying and mapping are owned by China, and
must not be taken and transmitted abroad without proper permission,
according to the regulation.
According to the State Bureau of Survey and Mapping, foreigners
who illegally survey, gather and publish geographical information
on China will be severely punished.
Chinese partners and translators will be fined if they fail to
stop illegal mapping activities.
(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2007)
