ABSTRACT

The sense of insecurity driving China’s domestic internet policy also shapes its cyber diplomacy, which has the overall objective of diminishing the West’s first-mover advantage. In particular, China has sought to promote a model of internet governance that gives a decisive role to national governments under the aegis of the United Nations, a structure labelled ‘multilateralism’. The evolution of China’s cyber power epitomises the challenges inherent in the country’s emergence as a major global power. It is hard to imagine the contours of a global cyber domain shaped in China’s image. As China’s economic influence increases, states may be increasingly reluctant to offend the Chinese leadership and hence responsive to Chinese pressure to suppress unwelcome narratives. The Chinese view of the world is likely to become more prevalent as China seeks to expand its overseas propaganda efforts and projection of ‘soft power’.