Advertisement
US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

Is China the target of new US global cyberspace and digital technology strategy?

  • Policy aims to stop Washington and its allies falling behind rivals in the tech race in a move that appears to be aimed at Beijing
  • Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells cybersecurity event that the United States is committed to ‘digital solidarity, not sovereignty’

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
12
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after unveiling Washington’s latest cybersecurity strategy in his keynote address to the RSA Conference in San Francisco on Monday. Photo: AFP
Ji Siqiin Washington

Washington has rolled out a new cyberspace strategy which appears to be aimed at countering Beijing, with the focus squarely on enhancing international collaborations that will exclude China.

Advertisement
The international cyberspace and digital policy strategy is intended to enhance international collaborations in the realm of cybersecurity and other technological advancements, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled the initiative in San Francisco on Monday, at the RSA Conference, a major annual cybersecurity event.

He said the US is committed to “digital solidarity” not “digital sovereignty” – a willingness to help other countries build capacity and guide engagement on technology diplomacy.

According to Blinken, one of the strategy’s goals is to elevate the role of the US in countering cyberthreats globally and enhancing governance in regulating advanced technologies such as AI.

02:24

China’s Xi urges US to be a partner, not rival, for ‘mutual success’ in meeting with Blinken

China’s Xi urges US to be a partner, not rival, for ‘mutual success’ in meeting with Blinken

“We’re harnessing technology for the betterment not just of our people and our friends, but of all humanity … Some of our strategic rivals are working toward a very different goal,” Blinken said, without naming China.

Advertisement