President Xi Speaks on China's Cybersecurity and Informatization Development

On April 19, President Xi Jinping, Chairman of the Central Cybersecurity and Informatization Leading Group (CCILG), along with Premier Li Keqiang and Liu Yunhhan, led a conference in Beijing. 

 

According to a Xinhua report, Xi gave a speech highlighting several key trends in China's cybersecurity development, including:
  • Acknowledging the central role the Internet plays in China's economic and social development, and promoting it in accordance with key themes announced in the 13th FYP, namely "innovation, coordination, greenness, openness and sharing". 
  • Encouraging government and party officials to listen to public opinions on the internet more closely so that they may strengthen governance in cyberspace, including online content and propaganda, and foster an online culture that is in line with the Socialist core values. 
  • Urging rapid breakthroughs in key technologies, emphasizing the importance of R&D and commercialization of indigenous innovation, supporting enterprises that take a leading role in innovation and participation in international competition, and exploring the establishment of alliances between industries, academics, and research institutions.
  • Calling for increased awareness of cybersecurity and expediting the construction of critical information infrastructure security protection systems to strengthen defense and deterrence capabilities. 
  • Accelerating the development of cybersecurity legislation and regulations and strengthening technology design for cyber and information security.
  • Establishing openness as a long-term guiding principle for foreign Internet enterprises, as long as they comply with Chinese law. 
Government officials, industry experts, and academics in attendance also held a discussion concerning the state's responsibilities towards Internet enterprises, the military-civil convergence in cyber development, and the role of new media in guiding public opinions and reaching consensus.

 

Following the CCILG meeting, the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC) held a seminar on April 21 to discuss how to implement the ideas covered in President Xi's speech.

 

Main highlights include: 
  • promoting CAC's leading role in cyber development on the international stage and giving guidance on strategies for international cooperation, gaming and competition.
  • pushing for big data sharing and the establishment of relevant rules to strengthen information security.
  • creating and strengthening national policies so that the cybersecurity investment fund may facilitate the development of China's cybersecurity industry.