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The U.S. is promoting the “Global Cyber Arms Race”

Author  :  Yang Jian     Source  :    Chinese Social Sciences Net     2013-07-18

U.S. organizations, media and politicians have fostered distrust between global leading powers in the past few days in terms of cyber security, by claiming China is hacking into American networks. The logic and thinking behind the accusations need to be looked at with caution; it is the U.S. that is misleading through global cyber security.

The cyber security strategy should target global peace rather than international disputes. U.S. strategic documents are full of mistaken thinking by seeking hegemony in cyberspace, and this kind of thinking is evidenced by being the first to identify allies and potential opponents in its cyber security strategic documents; to set up a cyber-army and formulate an operational scheme; and to create a "cyber deterrent". America’s strategy is to create enemies, resulting in the deterioration of relations between nations and undermining the good atmosphere and foundation of international cooperation in cyber security. Their stand on cyber-warfare sabotages the peaceful nature of computer networks. With the U.S. taking the lead, a ruinous view of the cyber world permeates the world. Over the past two years, Korea, India, NATO, Germany, Britain, Japan and Russia all established cyber armies or crafted new military-grade strategic concepts of cyber security. A global cyber arms race is likely to be imminent.

The U.S. never tires of searching for clues and traces of China’s cyber-army. It is in fact pushing an outmoded and destructive concept of network security by shaping an enemy and tracking suspected traces. As a matter of fact, the U.S. government is solely responsible for exercising network attacks against other nations by targeting nuclear installations and network firewalls. Concerning recent accusations, the U.S. demonstrated its illogic again, using so-called "evidence" alleged by its own organization to justify its retaliatory measures. This is exactly the same trick the U.S. played before its invasion of Iraq. If this kind of unilateral action is to spread in the cyber world, the global network will incur destruction.

It is the responsibility of every country to fight against cyber attacks and build a peaceful cyber world. To create a safe global network needs unity, understanding and trust of all countries, rather than the American thinking of creating distrust and hostility. The U.S. should, like all other countries, observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, giving up present cyber security thinking which is derived straight out of the Cold War, and get back to global collective security.

 

 

The author is vice-director of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.

 

 

The Chinese version appeared in Global Times, March 8, 2013.

 

 

Translated by Du Mei

 

 

 

Editor: Chen Meina

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