By Adam Segal
I was in China last week for a cyber dialogue sponsored by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The good news is the two sides are continuing to talk. The not so good news is mistrust is high and the next steps won’t be easy or quick.
In diplomatic speak, the talks were candid and constructive. Both sides acknowledged the mistrust that characterizes the relationship. The Chinese felt their contributions to global cybersecurity, especially by the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China (CNCERT), weren’t adequately acknowledged. Both sides believe their respective governments have a strong desire for cooperation.
But there was little clarity on what concretely the two sides could actually do to build trust (except for the obvious but seemingly unattainable: for the United States, China should stop stealing so much intellectual property; and for China, the U.S. should stop trying to maintain its hegemony in cyberspace, contain Beijing, and militarize cyberspace). Calls for greater transparency were met from the Chinese with the habitual protest that this was difficult for the weaker side. When pressed for areas where China and the United States might cooperate, Chinese analysts pointed to protecting critical infrastructure and fighting crime, but also noted that cyber cooperation was a work in progress and the conditions might not be right for moving forward.
Read the full story at The Diplomat