The internet is an important human achievement and a symbol of the arrival of the information age. As a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation accelerates, the internet has turned the world into a global village, and the international community is becoming more and more interconnected, with a shared future becoming more apparent. It is the responsibility of all of humanity to develop, use, and manage the internet well and make it more beneficial to mankind.
Since China gained full access to the internet, it has always been committed to promoting internet development and governance. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has adhered to the philosophy of people-centered development and attached great importance to the internet. China engages in vigorous development, active use, and effective governance of the internet, and has made historic progress in relevant undertakings. Hundreds of millions of Chinese people have a greater sense of gain from sharing the achievements of internet development, and have contributed to building a peaceful, secure, open, cooperative and orderly cyberspace.
With the rapid development of the internet, the governance of cyberspace is facing ever more prominent problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed the important concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace, and elaborated a series of major principles and proposals for global internet development and governance. His proposal conforms to the development trends of the information age and of human society. It responds to the risks and challenges facing cyberspace, demonstrates the CPC's commitment to contributing to human progress and world harmony, and reinforces China's sincere desire to strengthen internet development and governance cooperation with other countries. In the new era, China's international cooperation in cyberspace, under the vision of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace, has continued to achieve new progress, new breakthroughs, and new prospects.
This white paper introduces China's vision of internet development and governance in the new era and its actions, shares its achievements in promoting the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, and outlines the prospects for international cooperation.
Interconnection is the basic nature of cyberspace. Sharing and co-governance is the common vision of internet development. With the rapid development of global information technology, the internet has penetrated into all aspects of human life and work. As a consequence, humanity is increasingly confronted with development and security challenges in cyberspace, which must be addressed through joint efforts.
1. A community with a shared future in cyberspace is an important part of a global community of shared future
The world is presently undergoing a period of profound changes on a scale unseen in a century. A new revolution in science, technology and industry is gaining momentum. The Covid-19 epidemic has had a far-reaching impact, while the forces of unilateralism, protectionism, and opposition to globalization are on the rise. The world economic recovery is sluggish, frequent regional conflicts and turmoil erupt, and global problems are intensifying. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and change.
Problems with the internet such as unbalanced development, unsound regulation, and unreasonable order are becoming more prominent. Cyber-hegemonism poses a new threat to world peace and development.
Certain countries are exploiting the internet and information technology as a tool to seek hegemony, interfere in other countries' internal affairs, and engage in large-scale cyber theft and surveillance, raising the risk of conflict in cyberspace.
Some countries attempt to decouple with others, and create schism and confrontation in cyberspace. The increasingly complex cybersecurity situation calls for more just, reasonable and effective cyberspace governance. Global threats and challenges in cyberspace necessitate strong global responses.