Global rules sought to govern Internet use

All nations should work together to build a multilateral, democratic and transparent international order for Internet governance within the United Nations framework, the top official of China’s regulatory body on Internet information said on Monday.

Minister of the State Internet Information Office Lu Wei made the remarks in a keynote speech in London at the 5th China-UK Internet Roundtable, an annual event co-hosted by the State Internet Information Office and the British Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Lu’s remarks came amid mounting accusations against Beijing over its Internet administration and alleged hacking attacks. He said, “Where there is no order, there is no liberty.”

“We should respect cybers-overeignty, discard hegemony and avoid putting our own country’s interests above those of others. We should join hands to build order for the development of the Internet on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment,” Lu said.

“No country is immune to such global challenges as cybercrime, hacking and invasion of privacy,” Lu said during the meeting, noting that China is also a “victim of hacking”.

Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency, provided documents in June revealing that the US government has been hacking Chinese mobile operators’ networks, as well as the operator of a fiber optic cable network, to intercept information.

Staunch stance

China firmly opposes all forms of Internet attacks, Lu noted, and said, “We hope to deepen exchanges and cooperation with other countries in online cybersecurity, antiterrorism, law enforcement and privacy protection.”

He also called for the establishment of an order to promote “positive energy”, a phrase that topped the list of China’s buzzwords in 2012.

“Positive energy knows no boundaries. If everyone were to spread positive energy on the Internet, the world would be a much better place,” he said.

Although China is a latecomer in Internet-related technologies, the sector has seen tremendous development in recent years. According to the Internet authority, China now has almost 600 million Internet users, 44.1 percent of the population, and the number is still rising.

The numbers of micro-bloggers and WeChat users have both exceeded 300 million, and more than 200 million microblog posts are submitted and forwarded each day.

Lu said the Internet has become a new platform for many Chinese entrepreneurs.

The Chinese mainland is now home to nearly 3 million websites. Five Chinese websites, Baidu.com, QQ.com, Taobao.com, Sina.com.cn and Sohu.com, were listed in the Top 20 Most Popular Websites in the World in 2013 published by Royal Pingdom, a Swedish company that focuses on Internet-related research.

Lu said that Britain has advanced experience in Internet content management, technological support, industry self-regulation, laws and regulations.

Both China and the UK play significant roles in establishing an international order on Internet regulations while shouldering important responsibilities, Lu noted.

He also suggested that the two countries should strengthen cooperation by establishing a regular exchange and communication mechanism, and collaborate on Internet innovation, research and consultation, cybersecurity and information sharing.