Sovereignty in cyberspace is a multi-faceted, complex topic. Some believe that the Internet belongs to everyone and should remain wide open. Others believe they have the right to control what goes on within their digital borders. Last December, the second World Internet Conference was held in Wuzhen, China. China made their view on this topic very clear: It allows no compromise on cyberspace sovereignty.
The "Open Internet" was dealt a critical blow back in 2012. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency within the United Nations, voted on and passed a measure known as Y.2770, which would permit each country to conduct full inspection of Internet traffic.
China’s position is that the country can control anything within its their borders, physical or digital. That position does not just impact Internet traffic generated in or sent to China. It includes Internet traffic flowing through the country. In 2010, approximately 15 percent of the world’s total Internet traffic — including U.S. government and military sites — was rerouted through China.
Given the country's forceful statement on the topic, and past experience, further exploration was conducted. What caused such a strong statement? Cyber sovereignty deals with rule, supremacy, power, domination, authority, control and influence. As has always been the case, the idea of boundaries came up and the ‘rule’ aspect of sovereignty stuck out. Over the past year, China has seen a dramatic increase in the number of targeted cyberattacks. Was China able to detect and trace a cyberattack back to another country? Was the country’s statement a shot across the bow of those behind the attacks? Does China now plan a retaliatory attack to demonstrate its cyber sovereignty? Does the level of attribution capabilities within any country instill the level of confidence needed to launch a counter-offensive? So many questions and no answers.
