China's espionage law updates undercut courting of investors

Lester Ross is partner-in-charge of the Beijing office of U.S. law firm WilmerHale and chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in China Policy Committee.

The standing committee of China's legislature last week approved revisions to the country's Counterespionage Law that substantially broaden its scope in ways likely to raise concerns among foreign companies, and their domestic counterparts, about their ability to conduct business in a secure manner without putting the liberty and well-being of their personnel in jeopardy.