A draft law amendment to China's Cybersecurity Law, which will be submitted to the upcoming session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, adds new provisions on the safe and sound development of AI.

The draft amendment seeks to address new developments and challenges, Wang Xiang, a spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, told a press conference on Thursday.

It refines provisions on legal liabilities, expands the guiding principles for cybersecurity efforts, and enhances alignment with the Civil Code and the Personal Information Protection Law in terms of personal data protection, Wang said.

The draft introduces a new article outlining a framework for ensuring AI safety and development, which calls for greater support for basic research and key algorithmic innovation, improvement of AI-related infrastructure, establishment of ethical norms, among other aspects.

The 18th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee will be held from Oct. 24 to 28.