The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) on Sept. 29 released an analytical overview of China’s cyber structures and developments as part of a series of international studies.
“China and Cyber: Attitudes, Strategies, Organisation” examines the country’s approach to internet governance and cyber security in three main sections: cyber background and related challenges, the country’s cyber strategy and main goals, and China’s strategic cyber governance.
The report was written by Mikk Raud, a visiting researcher at the CCDCOE as part of a series on national organizations models for ensuring cyber security. The series summarize national cyber security strategy objectives and outline the division of cyber security tasks and responsibilities between agencies. Previous reports in the series cover the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The CCDCOE is a NATO-accredited Tallinn, Estonia-based knowledge hub that focuses on interdisciplinary applied research and development concerning cyber security. It includes consultations, training, and information-sharing among NATO members, allies, and partners in cyber defense.
The report highlighted that China stands out in the cyber realm for its approach to internet governance, extensive industrial espionage, and increasing military focus on cyberspace operations. China particularly perceives a disproportionate Western dominance in shaping the future of the global internet so in response the country promotes a sovereignty-based internet governance that allows states to regulate cyberspace however they wish, Raud argues.
China also sees information as a strategic weapon to achieve an asymmetric advantage in comparison to Western countries like the U.S. “China’s regime is likewise highly aware of the potential threat information constitutes when left uncontrolled,” the report said.
The reports aim to provide an overview of the mandate, tasks, and competences of the relevant organizations and of coordination between them, the center said. The scope of the reports include the mandates of political and strategic cyber security governance, national cyber incident management coordination, military cyber defence, and cyber aspects of crisis prevention and crisis management.
“China’s cyber developments, including the espionage, must be placed into the general context of governance which drives society towards informatisation while maintaining firm political control,” Raud said in a statement.
The reports are edited by Kadri Kaska, a researcher at the CCDCOE who has over 15 years of experience as a legal and policy analyst in cyber issues. She emphasized the report concludes China does not treat cyber as a distinct policy, but part of their integral approach to attain the country’s long-term geopolitical objectives. Those objectives are economic and military superiority and an “axiomatic influence” in world affairs.