China passes new national security law extending control over internet

Officials say increasingly severe national security situation necessitates the law, which has wide-ranging powers but few exact details

China has passed a wide-ranging national security law expanding its legal reach over the internet and even outer space as concerns grow about ever-tighter limits on rights.

Since Xi Jinping came to power, the ruling Communist party has overseen a crackdown on activists, while unrest related to the mainly Muslim region of Xinjiang has worsened and spread.