Interpreting China’s Pursuit of Cyber Sovereignty and its Views on Cyber Deterrence
By Major Michael Kolton
| July 31, 2018
On December 31, 2015, Chinese officials announced a substantial reorganization of the armed forces. [1] The reforms cut across the entire People’s Liberation Army (PLA),[2] and constitute the most dramatic reorganization of China’s armed forces since the 1950s. [3] President Xi Jinping described the reforms as essential for modernizing the military. [4] and the reorganization affirmed the PLA’s fidelity to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). [5] The reform also established a new service branch called the Strategic Support Force (SSF) on par with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force. Among its many missions, the SSF secures electromagnetic space and cyberspace. [6] China’s military pundits lauded the SSF as necessary for twenty-first century warfare. [7] For years, the PLA has fielded cyber capabilities at various levels of command, and the SSF elevates control of cyber operations to the highest echelons. [8] Ultimately, the PLA employs cyber forces to ensure cyber sovereignty (wangluo zhuquan) and safeguard the Chinese Dream across all domains.
Interpreting China’s Pursuit of Cyber Sovereignty and its Views on Cyber Deterrence