Although the CCP describes China as a “socialist consultative democracy”, the country is commonly referred to as an authoritarian one-party surveillance state and dictatorship. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, China consistently ranks low as an “authoritarian regime”, ranking 156th out of 167 countries in 2022. It has also been described as authoritarian and corporatist, with some of the tightest restrictions in the entire world in many areas primarily against freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, the right to have children, the free formation of public organizations, freedom of religion and free access to the Internet. Its current political, ideological, and economic system has been described by its leaders as “all-process people's democracy”, “people's democratic dictatorship”, “socialism with Chinese characteristics” (that is, Marxism adapted to Chinese conditions), and “socialist market economy” respectively.
Published in Chapter:
China's Cyber Security Policy and the Democratic World
Irakli Kervalishvili (Georgian Technical University, Georgia)
Copyright: © 2023
|Pages: 13
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8846-1.ch015
Abstract
In the modern world, transferring data into digital format, electronic commerce, social media, and receiving public services through online platforms are very relevant. The more states become dependent on cyberspace, the more reasons and means hostile actors have for cyberattacks, stealing and distorting information, and paralyzing systems. We must keep in mind that cyber security is not only about computer programming and information technology. Cyber security is a vital part of national security, as cyber-attacks target people, public opinion, and public and business sectors. China is indeed quite an aggressive cyber actor, but there is another, non-democratic state that has much greater economic-technological resources, ambition, and aspiration for cyber expansionism.