Epsiode 24: The geopolitical impacts of China's cybersecurity and espionage

Dr Greg Austin, Senior Fellow for Cyber, Space and Future Conflict, joins Dr Kori Schake for this episode of Sounds Strategic.As the race to roll out 5G intensifies between China and the United States, Greg and Kori discuss China’s use of cyber espionage and private companies in pursuit of its geopolitical interests and the effect it has on China’s reputation. Greg explains the Cyber, Space and Future Conflict’s new methodology to assess states’ capabilities to use cyber as an offensive weapon, exploring the initial findings from a case study on China. Greg discusses how the “cyber industrial complex” can be understood as a web of political, economic, industrial and scientific relationships and assets, noting that the ICT sector provides a majority of the US’ GDP. He debunks the common conception that China is a leader in cybersecurity, noting that China’s cyber defences are weaker than those of the US and its allies. He highlights that China is actually reliant on US companies to provide cyber protection. Greg and Kori explore how Western media and discussion on China’s power only serves to reinforce China’s propaganda and messaging.Date of recording: 25 October 2019Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.Theme music: ‘Safety in Numbers’ by We Were Promised Jetpacks.

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