New Order of Network Governance

By LIU HONGMEI

The year 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of China’s first connection with the Internet. More importantly, it heralds the start of the country’s transformation into an Internet power. Collision and fusion of forces among various parties has comprehensively awakened the national Internet consciousness.

China is unfolding its network governance with brand-new thinking and unprecedented intensity. Under the direct leadership of the central government, all functional departments have launched joint operations whose ultimate aim is to tackle Internet-related issues proactively rather than passively. From top-level design to specific regulations, national cyber territory has become clearer.

Strengthened judiciary and self-regulation have concentrated efforts to carry forward institutional improvements to Internet security. Prudent encouragement and supervision have handled the E-economy, enhancing capacities for technical upgrading and independent innovation. Moreover, international exchanges and cooperation have enabled participation in establishing a new order of network governance that will reconstruct the global village.

Cai Mingzhao, minister of the State Council Information Office of China, delivers a keynote speech at the Fourth World Cyberspace Cooperation Summit at Stanford University on November 5, 2013.

National Action

The central Internet security and informatization leading group headed by President Xi Jinping was established on February 27, 2014. Premier Li Keqiang and Liu Yunshan, both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, are deputy heads of the group. This signifies China’s entry into a new development phase of cyber security and informatization governance.

As Xi said, “No Internet safety means no national security. No informatization means no modernization.” The group is designed to lead and coordinate Internet security and informatization work among different sectors; also to draft national strategies, development plans and major policies in this field.

The new management system will revamp China’s historically shambolic Internet management. Informatization strategy and making China a cyber power are now top agenda items aimed at achieving major breakthroughs in information and network technology in the country, which has more than 600 million netizens.  

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued at the end of 2013 the TD-LTE operating license to China’s three telecom operators, so marking the entry of China’s communications industry into the 4G network era.

The International Telecommunications Union has recognized TD-LTE technology, developed mainly by Chinese companies, as one of the fourth generation mobile communication international standards. Connecting cable television, telecommunications, direct broadcasting satellites, and 3G network, the 4G network will build an information highway that combines fixed and mobile networks. The integrating of sensor and big data will also create more innovation opportunities, so initiating the age of mobile intelligence.     

Meanwhile, China’s 14 agencies, including MIIT and the National Development and Reform Commission, have implemented a specific “Broadband China 2014” project. The improvement of network infrastructure will appreciably promote information consumption.  China expects its information consumption to top RMB 3.2 trillion by 2015, including more than RMB 2.4 trillion of new Internet-based information.  

 On October 22, Dawning Information Industry Company released the Loongson-3B, China’s first independently developed server. The Chinese company owns the server’s  full proprietary intellectual property, including the CPU and operating system. By breaking foreign monopoly on servers, the Loongson-3B will help China build its controllable information industry. This is of great importance in safeguarding national security and promoting information industry development.   

Clean up the Cyber Environment

There were hot debates late last May after the news that China had unveiled its Internet security censorship. It stipulates that, in accordance with the no boundaries principle, any product that does not meet security requirements is not allowed within China’s territory.   

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) released last July provisions on the handling of network crime applicable to criminal procedure. The Supreme People’s Court also recently unveiled a number of judicial interpretations, concerning obscene electronic publications, infringement of Internet intellectual property rights, and telecommunications fraud. On October 10, the Supreme People’s Court implemented a regulation specifying a list of issues concerning civil disputes over information networks that infringe on personal rights. Judicial interpretations, such as the rights of Internet communication and Internet defamation, signify the initial shaping of the system of Chinese judicial rules on the Internet.