The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) is warning countries without proper cyber regulations to be careful when working with China on internet policy as it pushes to position itself as a cyber superpower. 

Although China is attempting to strengthen cooperation with other governments and companies on online regulation by setting the rules, norms and values of the internet, the ASPI says countries without tough cyber policies in place need to “err on the side of caution” when engaging with the country as it tries to shape cyberspace across other countries based on its own cyber regulations.  

The ASPI’s report on the issue revealed that China is trying to replicate its own system of online censorship in other jurisdictions, reshaping the global norms such as free speech that are associated with internet usage.

“Countries should consider the future of cyberspace and what information should be shared, and even controlled, by countries such as China,” the report says. 

“The Chinese Communist Party is enabling a division of cyberspace to create one that’s susceptible to surveillance and ideological influence.” 

The ASPI report comes after concerns regarding the Chinese and Russian’s cyber might were discussed in Parliament last Monday as the bill giving stronger powers to Australia’s cyber spies was passed.  

Former army major general Senator Jim Molan told the Senate that no country has ever seen the full power of China or Russia’s cyber capability. He then warns that Australia may only do so in the lead-up or during a war.  

Australian Signals Directorate’s Director General Rachel Noble said Australia had been beefing up its offensive cyber capabilities so other countries would think twice about the benefits of launching an attack. 

Director Noble said Australia’s intelligence capabilities allowed the Australian Signals Directorate to undertake offensive cyber operations, stating that its offensive capabilities would be able to shorten a war. 

With AAP

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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