Preliminary considerations on China's international cooperation in cyber security: legislation, competent authorities, and challenges

Abstract

This article addressed general issues regarding the Chinese legislative framework, competent authorities, China’s strategic objectives and the challenges in terms of international cooperation in the field of cybersecurity. The main objective of the research is to identify the actors involved in ensuring China’s cybersecurity, describe their responsibilities and correlate them with Chinese cyber-security legislation and China Cyber Security Cooperation Strategy. This study traces preliminary considerations for future in-depth analyses of the impact of China’s actions in the field of international cybersecurity. Among the main findings of the study the aspects briefly identified were related to the influences of the policies and narratives of the Chinese Communist Party presented in China’s International Cyber Security Cooperation Strategy, as well as to the fact that, despite China’s intention to become a cyber power, open to cooperation, international reactions are quite reluctant due to allegations of cyber espionage and domestic surveillance problems existing at the national level, among others.