Internet Censorship in China (II)

Security concerns shape China’s official internet and information technology strategies. These include concerns shared by many countries: promoting a strong and growing economy, providing information assurance, and defending against foreign intrusions into China’s information space. Most importantly for the Chinese, information security includes a political element not found in many other nations – control by the party and the state over communications and the flow of information. The rapid spread of internet access and mobile communications pose a serious challenge to this goal. In response, China’s security apparatus is reorienting its informational defenses.

China’s primary objective in internet security is political– preventing IT from eroding the regime’s authority. Information security is defined in China as “a comprehensive concept understood in a broad sense, and it involves political, economic, cultural, ideological, media, social and military level or field.” It includes “data, system, network, infrastructure.” Chinese officials worry about the potential of the Internet to contribute to the loss of state secrets, offer new avenues for organizing dissent and opposition, and spread “harmful information.” This makes controlling access to "harmful network information” and the ability to monitor and intercept communications top priorities.

China’s internal security apparatus is extensive .Their missions include not only conventional counterterrorism, counterespionage, and critical infrastructure protection, but a political role that reflects the continuing (albeit diminishing) absence of a clear line between state and party in China. A heritage of security practices from an earlier era emphasizes secrecy, vigilance, and action against both foreign intruders and internal dissent. China appears to apply these security policies and practices to new technologies and the behaviors they produce.

Directed by the State Council, there is an interlocking series of efforts by competing ministries to build a layered approach to network and information security. It includes providers. These regulations give the state the authority to compel actions or behaviors.

-- A complementary set of regulations that gives Beijing the authority to regulate software, in particular network security and encryption software.
-- Government organizations and personnel with an Internet security control mission, including the Ministries of Culture, Information Industries, Public Security, and State Security.
-- A strong technological component that uses network architecture, human intervention, and software tools for monitoring online activity and interfering with access to information.
-- A system of voluntary compliance and self-regulation among the larger private networks and service providers to complement the already high degree of control in state-operated systems.
-- A long-term effort to move to reliance on indigenously developed software that would have the benefits of both greater control by Beijing and less potential for malicious activities by foreign intelligence services. The development of indigenous software is a crucial element of China’s planning on how to manage security risks created by the Internet.