Cyberspace is a double-edged sword
 

Cartoon by Gou Ben;  Poem by Long Yuan

 

Cyberspace is a double-edged sword.
New rules are needed to avoid discord.
Truth and lies,
The fools and the wise,
Are all bound together,
By the network’s ties.
Without adequate control,
Negativity will corrupt the Internet’s soul.
To roam in the cyberspace with freedom
Limits should first be set in this net kingdom.

---

 

In his keynote speech at the second World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province, Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated a globally governed cyberspace in which all countries could engage in the construction of an online community with a common future through better communication, more agreements and stronger cooperation.
 

The Internet has radically altered the production and lifestyles of people everywhere. However, it has brought with it a series of problems and challenges. In this context, the prospect of “a community of common future in cyberspace” is alluring.

 

Problems in cyberspace
The Internet has greatly enhanced our world and our lives. The second half of the 20th century witnessed rapid advances in information technology. The Internet has turned the world into a global village and made life more convenient for billions of people. Life in cyberspace has become the new norm.

However, the Internet is also a source of a great number of problems. Cyber-terrorism, online bullying, fraud, the spread of rumors, and the proliferation of pornography on the Internet seriously damage adolescent health in mind and body. Distortion of history, slander, piracy and false news deteriorate the environment for public opinion and endanger mainstream values. What’s worse, national and social stability as well as the legal rights of citizens and corporations could be sabotaged by criminal activities. Incitement to violent terrorism, extreme religious practices, online gambling and money laundering are among these illegal behaviors.
 

Globally, there is a radical imbalance among countries in terms of online background information and technologies. In such an atmosphere, some countries are doing whatever they prefer, while the cybersecurity and national security of others are in great danger. All these issues have become a common concern for the entire international community.

 

Defects of current rules
These problems are attributed to two reasons. One is the failure to keep pace with the rapid development of the Internet. The other is the ever-broadening information gap between countries and regions. As a result, the present state of cyberspace governance is not in accordance with the wishes and interests of the most countries.

The Internet is a double-edged sword. While it might serve as Ali Baba’s treasure cave, it might also turn into a Pandora’s Box. The global development of the Internet is currently vibrant, and high-quality services are provided by Internet companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Apple, YouTube and Amazon.
 

But hegemony has simultaneously taken shape because the Internet giants, with no exception, are all American companies. For other countries, only a few Chinese Internet companies are competitive, such as Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and Youku.
 

Some countries leverage the huge information gap and severe hegemony in cyberspace to maintain an overwhelming advantage in Internet technologies. They insist on their own online sovereignty while bullying others online and establishing global monitoring through hidden backdoors in key software and technology products. They also install spyware to steal intelligence  of others.

Moreover, they violate the internal affairs of other countries, criticizing their development pathways, forms of government and public policies on cyberspace without considering the real circumstances. This infringement of cyberspace sovereignty is a dire threat to international cybersecurity.
 

As a new kind of space, realm and homeland, the Internet requires  new ideas, regulations and patterns. At the Wuzhen conference, Xi put forward four principles on advancing the reform of global cyberspace governance and five proposals on building an online community with a common future.
 

China’s resolution on global online governance reveals a deep understanding of the cyberspace challenges and lifts human civilization to a higher level. The proposals were welcomed by the conference attendees and the international community.

 

Balancing freedom, order
Home to one-fourth of the world’s Internet users, China ought to shoulder more responsibilities. Over the past few years, it institutionalized online governance on the basis of its own cyberspace sovereignty. Many achievements have been made in regulating information diffusion, combating cyberterrorism and online crimes as well as in creating a secure online environment for minors.
 

Meanwhile, China is playing an active part in global online governance. It advocates global communication and cooperation to promote cybersecurity and development. Thus, all will have an equal share in the opportunities and achievements.

In his speech at the National Congress of Brazil in June 2014, Xi proposed establishing a peaceful, secure, open and coordinated cyberspace governed by an international system that is multilateral, democratic and transparent.
 

During the China-US Internet Industry Forum in September 2015, Xi met representatives from both sides, stressing that a secure, stable and prosperous cyberspace is vital to the peace and development of every country.

China has been striving to provide platforms for Internet governance within the country.
 

The first World Internet Conference was held in Wuzhen in November 2014. The second session, held in December 2015, is larger and has a higher profile.
 

China also hosted the China-Arab States Expo with the Online Silk Road initiative as well as two sessions of the China-ASEAN Cyberspace Forum devoted to information security. Since as early as 2007, a series of bilateral or multilateral Internet conferences have been conducted between China and countries including the United States, Britain, South Korea, Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa.

Moreover, as an element of the China-US Strategic Security Dialogue, a cybersecurity panel was initiated by China and America in early 2013.
 

Meanwhile, China has been actively coordinating with international online organizations, such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, Asia-Pacific Network Information Center, Internet Society and the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

The Chinese government and some nongovernmental Internet organizations in China were not absent from any session of the World Summit on the Information Society and Internet Governance Forum.
 

In addition, China has signed cooperative frameworks and agreements with ASEAN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to combat cybercrimes. In 2014, Chinese public security organs launched cooperative enforcements with more than 60 countries and regions. More than 20 transnational cybercrime cases have been solved.

At the Wuzhen Summit, Xi called for coordinated efforts to fight cybercrimes such as violence, pornography, drug deals, money laundering and gambling. All online attacks, either targeting business confidence or government networks, should be punished in accordance with relevant laws and international agreements. In other words, double standards in safeguarding cybersecurity should not be tolerated.

The Internet is not tangible, but that is not an excuse for losing control over it. The balance between freedom and order should be addressed.
 

As Xi suggested, the Internet should be shared and governed by all. The participants include governments, international organizations, and Internet companies as well as technological professionals, nongovernmental organs and individual citizens.
 

In order to create a fairer international structure for the governance of cyberspace, countries need to communicate more about perfecting mechanisms- and making online regulations.

As a global platform, the World Internet Conference aims to ensure the healthy development of the Internet shared and governed by all. During the conference, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, initiated by China, showed its determination in alleviating digital poverty. Internet development has been one of its core issues.
 

It is a common mission for the entire world to make the Internet cleaner and securer. In realizing the alluring prospect of “building an online community with a common future,” China has the will to take on more responsibilities, and it is indeed on track to do so.

 

Zhi Zhenfeng is from the Institute of Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.