On April 13, 2026, Starke Management Counsel Daniel Albrecht held an online webinar for VDMA China (the German Engineering Federation). The topic of his presentation was: China's Cybersecurity Law Amendments: What You Need to Know for 2026. Approximately 85 company representatives from China and Germany participated in the 90-minute online event.
On 28 October 2025, China adopted significant amendments to the Cybersecurity Law, marking the first update since its enactment in 2016. These changes took effect on 1 January 2026 and introduce stricter enforcement measures, higher penalties, and expanded extraterritorial reach, reflecting China’s heightened focus on cybersecurity and AI governance. The Amendment enhances also enforcement powers, tightens legal liabilities for enterprises and relevant responsible personnel, specifies the severity of violations and imposes stricter requirements on operators of critical information infrastructure. It also reduces some areas of ambiguity that have challenged companies in the past.
Furthermore, on 31 January 2026, China’s Ministry of Public Security released the draft Law on the Prevention and Governance of Cybercrime for public comment. Following China’s accession to the UN Convention against Cybercrime (UNCC) in October 2025, the draft Cybercrime Law represents another step toward strengthening the domestic regulatory framework and enhancing international cooperation to combat cybercrime. The draft provides a legal basis for implementing measures against overseas entities and individuals who commit, or provide assistance with, cybercrime within the territory of the PRC, including technical blocking measures against the provision of internet products. Although this is just a draft (deadline for submitting public comments is 2 March 2026), it is crucial for companies to know about this development. The draft law signals enhanced regulation and compliance obligations for enterprises, with clearer liability exposure.
Agenda
- Welcome by VDMA China
- Keynote: China's Cybersecurity Law Amendments: What You Need to Know for 2026 by Daniel Albrecht
- Moderate Q&A Session