38. Cybersecurity: Developments in the PRC and implications for Australia - with Greg Austin

What this episode covers

The development and uptake of cyber-systems has been rapid and widespread in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC government has consequently sought to develop a stronger cybersecurity policy, with President Xi Jinping personally taking control of the Cyberspace Administration of China. It also seeks to promote its concept of cyber-sovereignty. However, the PRC’s use of cyber-capabilities at a state-level have come under international scrutiny and criticism, with other countries, including Australia, becoming increasingly concerned about state-sponsored cyber-espionage attacks. Another worrying development is that state efforts to exert control over PRC citizens have increased in parallel with increasing technological capabilities. What is the current state of China’s cyber-capability, and what does it aspire to going forward? How has this played out in the global arena? And how might it affect Australia? Greg Austin, Deputy Director of UNSW Canberra Cyber, joins James Laurenceson, Deputy Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, to discuss cybersecurity developments in China, China’s cyber strategy globally and the ramifications for Australia.

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