Beijing, Oct 30 (IANS) Citizens’ identity cards in China will now feature their fingerprints to help identify people faster and more accurately – and make it difficult to create fakes.
China Saturday amended its Resident Identity Card Law in a bid to better protect personal information of its citizens, the Shanghai Daily reported Sunday.
Older identity cards do not have this feature. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress or parliament approved a suggestion from lawmakers that a person’s fingerprints should be recorded when they apply for or change their identity cards.
The amendment also increases punishment to those guilty of leaking someone’s personal information. Offenders face civil penalties like economic compensation, as well as criminal penalties such as prosecution, detention and fines.
The amendment would be implemented from Jan 1 next year.
The first version of the identity cards, launched in 1985, would be prohibited from use Jan 1, 2013.
In 2004, the country introduced a second version. Cards received by citizens before Jan 1, 2012, would continue to be valid during their 10-year term.
