China Trolls U.S. With ‘Fox in Henhouse’ Data Security Plan
China says countries shouldn’t attack critical infrastructure. Nor steal data.
China says countries shouldn’t do mass surveillance. Nor put backdoors in their products.
The fragrant Minister Wang Yi (pictured) has set out the Chinese Communist Party’s eight-point plan to make the internet a caring, happy place. In today’s SB Blogwatch, we sit slack-jawed at the irony.
Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: Masks work better than you think.
Don’t Feed the CCP
What’s the craic? Chun Han Wong reports—“Beijing Sets Policy On Data Security”:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi cited growing risks to data security and what he characterized as efforts to politicize security issues and smear rival countries on technology matters. … Beijing’s initiative comes amid heightened tensions with Washington over issues including trade and technological competition, which has raised the specter of an increasingly bifurcated internet.
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The Chinese initiative comes about a month after … Mike Pompeo announced the Clean Network program, which would exclude Chinese telecommunications firms, apps, cloud providers and undersea cables from internet infrastructure used by the U.S. and other countries. … China would call on all countries to handle data security in a “comprehensive, objective and evidence-based manner” and maintain an open, secure and stable supply chain.
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Chinese diplomats have approached a number of foreign governments to seek their support for Beijing’s initiative, people briefed on the matter said. … “What is pressing now is to formulate global rules and norms that reflect the aspiration and interests of the majority of countries,” said a briefing note … Chinese diplomats provided to foreign counterparts.
So Simon Sharwood snarkily says—“China proposes … forbidding stuff it and Huawei are accused of doing already”:
In a speech by state councilor and foreign minister Wang Yi [he] outlined an eight-point code that China hopes the world will adopt. … Elements of the plan [include]:
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Oppose using ICT activities to impair other States’ critical infrastructure or steal important data. … Oppose abusing ICT to conduct mass surveillance against other States or engage in unauthorized collection of personal information of other States.
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Ask companies to respect the laws of host countries. … Meet law enforcement needs for overseas data. … Respect the sovereignty, jurisdiction and governance of data of other States. … Inconsistent national laws “pushed up the compliance costs for global businesses,” he complained.
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ICT products and services providers should not install backdoors. … Companies should not seek illegitimate interests by taking advantage of users’ dependence on their products.
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The China-USA no-hack-pact of 2015 … was quickly seen as not much more than tawdry security theatre as both nations continued to probe each other whenever deemed necessary. And [it] failed to prevent the Trump administration later creating its “Clean Network” plan on grounds that all of China’s technology companies represent a national security risk.
And Rita Liao enquires discreetly—“China presents ‘global standard for data security’”:
The timing of the announcement is curious, just days before the TikTok sale is scheduled to finish. Washington has maintained that the popular video app poses a national security threat to the U.S. because it could hand in data of American users to Beijing, a claim that TikTok has denied.
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The U.S. authority has also persisted for years over its rhetoric that Huawei puts spyware in its telecommunications equipment. … While some may dispute concepts put forward by Beijing’s new data security standard, one thing is for certain: China is continuing to push the [notion of] cyber sovereignty.
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“A certain country keeps making groundless accusations against others in the name of a ‘clean’ network and uses security as a pretext to prey on enterprises of other countries that have a competitive edge. Such blatant acts of bullying must be opposed and rejected,” said [Yi] without naming the country, though there was no ambiguity in his description.
Ouch. Heed Professor DrMrLordX:
The idea that the PRC should be leading a global initiative working towards data security is a joke. If people do not wish to trust Cisco or other American companies, fine. But that does not make China any better!
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If the US suggested there be international data security standards, everyone with two brain cells to rub together would suspect the NSA of drafting the standards to suit their own agenda.
The next salvo in the trade war? Simon Black counts the cost:
Just like the US has lost its Textiles, Paper, [and] Automobile … industries, it seems hell-bent on throwing away its semiconductor industries as well. Companies like Huawei were perfectly happy buying their semiconductors from the US. Banning the sale of those semiconductors will hurt the US.
What’s the real strategy? When did You aint sin me, roit stop beating his wife? [You’re fired—Ed.]
The initiative is all about making the Chinese look good, and the Americans—when they inevitably refuse to sign up—look bad.
At which point the Chinese say, “So what part of data security do you object to?” Quickly followed by telling the rest of the world that it’s obvious that the US can’t be trusted, and the NSA abuses US citizens’ rights.
Where’s the 50 cent army? Beija Flor ain’t no 五毛:
Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon etc. are all gonna crash if this law is adopted. … The entire business model of American software companies is to steal people’s data and sell them, other than share buybacks with printed money and insider trading.
But jacks smirking reven brushes aside the obvious criticism:
Sure it’s bull**** coming from the PRC. But they are doing it, and this is the type of thing that could be looked at as leadership in countries where China has been building its influence—like in Africa.
This is an area where the US should be taking better positions and setting the example. … We really should be setting strong encryption standards for citizenry as a matter of National Security. Imagine the better place we would be in if the NSA used some of its mass resources to secure both our private and public infrastructure like it helped with SELinux.
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Lost opportunity in my opinion.
Meanwhile, sanmigueelbeer is glad they’re not a Corona:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, *choke!*, HAHAHAHAHA … oh, wait. You’re serious???
And Finally:
You have been reading SB Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites … so you don’t have to. Hate mail may be directed to @RiCHi or [email protected]. Ask your doctor before reading. Your mileage may vary. E&OE. 30.
Image sauce: Cancillería del Ecuador (cc:by-sa)
