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Opinion | Why the US and China need a detente in cyberspace
- As accusations of cyberattacks fly between the US and China, the digital realm has become central to both nations’ security strategies
- Cyber diplomacy must therefore play a bigger role in managing tensions, with more international guidelines needed
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Last week, China accused the US of being behind a cyberattack on Northwestern Polytechnical University and stealing core technical data. In March, a state-owned cybersecurity company said hackers backed by the US government had attacked China’s leading companies, research institutes and infrastructure. Beijing has demanded the US immediately cease these activities.
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However, the US has also accused China of stealing trade secrets and has filed criminal charges against Chinese military members. In fact, China and the United States are both world leaders in cyber warfare.
The emergence of China as a new 21st century power indicates a structural shift in global politics, characterised by changing East Asian regional politics and the potential for China to compete with the US for global hegemony. Therefore, the US sees China’s rise as a real problem.
Cyberspace is the fusion of communication networks, databases and information sources into a global digital system. This new global domain of information systems is challenging the traditional understanding of international relations, power politics, national security, sovereignty and borders.
It has also become an arena of great power rivalry. Both the US and China have been modernising their militaries extensively over the past few years, which has led to the development of highly advanced cyber capabilities. A cyberwar between great powers could potentially destroy the entire global networked community.
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