China's Cyber Security Policy and the Democratic World

Introduction. The National Cyber Security Strategy And The Emergence Of Hard Digital Frontiers

The development of the Internet, and the innovation that is associated with it, have been facilitated by an environment that has been relatively free from control. Unfortunately, however, as a result of deep integration into the social framework, the Internet has become a potential tool for influencing geopolitical conflicts, including interference in the internal affairs of other states, undermining national security, destabilizing financial infrastructure, and attacking critical infrastructure. While states derive social and economic benefits from the Internet, they fear the threat it poses to national security. In response to these threats, countries are beginning to tighten their Internet borders and develop their cyber weapons not only as a tool for deterrence but also to apply pressure during conflicts. The potential downside of such state-by-state regulation is slowing down the innovation process that the Internet has traditionally spurred and limiting the freedom of speech that has contributed to social inclusion in society. On the other hand, innovation and freedom cannot flourish in a chaotic environment with rampant crime and a lack of rules, norms, and ethics. With this in mind, national policymakers face the challenge of finding a balance between regulation and the potential chaos of the Internet, while at the same time promoting the development of freedoms. In trying to strike such a balance in the national interest, cyberspace boundaries play an important role alongside international efforts to build confidence in cyberspace and slow down Internet fragmentation.

The sophistication and effectiveness of cyberattacks have steadily increased since the first Morris worm cyberattack in 1988 and have recently become a key part of the national defense strategies of several countries. Cyberspace is now considered a separate domain of conflict along with land, sea, air, and space, clearly defined in the military doctrines of the world's most powerful states, including China. Each country is strengthening its defenses while at the same time working furiously to develop cyber weapons and testing the cyber defenses of other countries. Cyber attacks have already been used to supplement military interventions in response to the policies and actions of other countries and to interfere in the elections of other countries. The ferocious cyber arms race shows no signs of abating. States now face a dilemma: whether to work together to de-escalate the cyber arms race and allow the Internet to thrive unhindered or to build boundaries on the Internet and threaten its growth and evolution.

Several attempts have been made to work out a treaty to curb the growth of cyber weapons; however, the lack of attribution, the increase in vulnerabilities, and the escalation of economic rivalry between states make reaching a consensus on these treaties very difficult. Although the attribution of cyber incidents is constantly improving due to improved analytic technologies, the activities of states in the development of cyber weapons are still undercover. From a game theory perspective, the situation suggests that each state is trying to maximize its cyber arsenal in the belief that other countries are also maximizing their efforts to develop cyber arsenals. The earliest use of cyber weapons took place in conflicts between Russia and the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Estonia. In these cases, the attacks were used for media propaganda, website corruption, and so on. Over time, however, cyberattacks have become more sophisticated, targeted, and dangerous. Likewise, more nation-states are turning to cyberattacks and starting to use cyberattacks to achieve their geopolitical goals.