Cyber Security Needs Clear Norms

　　During the upcoming China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, one of the hot topics is the issue of cyber crime. At this year's annual conference of the Chinese Community of Political Science and International Studies, experts met to discuss the need for the respective government to define clear norms in relation to cyber crimes and cyber activities, prior to the upcoming Dialogue.

 

　　CRI's Stuart Wiggin has more.

 

　　Allegations of cyber related espionage¹, both industrial and political, have been floating back and forth² between China and the US for months. The recent events surrounding the revelations of former United States National Security Agency contractor³ Edward Snowden have brought the issue of cyber-related espionage into sharp focus. As noted⁴ by Yan Xue Tong, dean of Tsinghua University's Institute of Modern International Relations, there are currently no norms governing this very important area.

 

　　"I don't think at this moment we have any widely accepted norm or definition of how to govern the cyber security. From my understanding, what we really need is a cooperation to develop a common definition for cyber security and establish norms to govern cyber activity.

 

　　But Yan Xue Tong also points out that the case of Snowden has altered the context of the debate regarding US-China cyber activities.

 

　　"Snowden certainly is a big headache for the US, but Snowden also make the US cool down and no longer use this kind of issue as an excuse to attack China and others. Suddenly, America is not that honorable, and looks it seems no better than others, maybe even worse."

 

　　Edward Snowden's NSA revelations concern cyber activities related with political espionage. However, the conversation regarding China-US cyber activities is wider than just that of government-to-government spying. Paul Haenle, the director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center talked about the commercial side of the debate.

 

　　"I think what the United States is bringing to the table that is different, and what President Obama tried to outline for President Xi at Sunnylands is cyber attacks that steal America commercial trade and intellectual property. And so this is more of a commercial, cyber warfare⁵ which the US side has said it does not engage in and will not engage in, and it would like to engage in dialogue with the Chinese to see how they can prevent this from happening."

 

　　Though the political aspect of cyber espionage is important, there is an argument to be made that it is more important to implement⁶ norms that could prevent the theft of intellectual property and trade secrets. Gregory Gilligan, chairman of the American Chamber⁷ of Commerce in China talked about the importance of the commercial relationship between China and the US and the requirement for cyber norms in order to maintain this foundation.

 

　　"The US China relationship rests upon the foundation of the US China commercial relationship. I think the economic interdependence that our two countries have and the scope of commercial activity that we engage in with each other is so broad that it simply is the foundation for the broader relationship. And so, finding ways to strengthen or heal, in some cases, that commercial relationship will have greater impact."

 

　　In order to create some semblance⁸ of order within the cyber realm, academics are calling for the creation of norms. Though these norms may not be defined in their entirety at the fifth Strategic and Economic Dialogue, officials are likely to start tackling an issue which has fast become one of the most important areas of interest between the US and China.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Stuart Wiggin.

1 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

3 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

6 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

7 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

8 semblance   

n.外貌，外表

参考例句：

• Her semblance of anger frightened the children.她生气的样子使孩子们感到害怕。
• Those clouds have the semblance of a large head.那些云的形状像一个巨大的人头。