Due to rising tensions with the United States and other powers in the region, China has announced the creation of a new military cyber group aimed at improving its ability to ‘fight and win’ wars. The establishment of the Information Support Force was revealed by Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian. He stressed its role in supporting the coordinated development and use of network information systems.
China has been investing huge amounts of money, billions of dollars, into modernizing its armed forces in recent years. President Xi Jinping has played a key role in increasing control over the military since becoming the leader a decade ago.
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The creation of this new cyber force is seen as an important strategic move to enhance China’s modern military capabilities and structure. While specific details about its exact role were not disclosed, Wu Qian underscored its crucial responsibility in promoting high-quality development and boosting China’s ability to prevail in modern warfare.
President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for complete obedience to the commands of the Communist Party and the implementation of core principles and systems that ensure the party’s absolute leadership over the military.
China’s territorial disputes, including its claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea, remain highly controversial issues as China maneuvers against regional rivals.
“This is of profound and far-reaching significance to the modernization of national defence and the armed forces and to the military’s fulfillment of its missions and tasks in the new era. The Information Support Force is a brand-new strategic branch of the PLA and a key pillar of the integrated development and use of the network information system. It plays an important role and bears great responsibility in promoting the PLA’s high-quality development and the ability to fight and win in modern warfare. The unit must focus on its core task of using information assets to support combat operations. It must maintain information flow, integrate information resources, protect information security, and integrate deeply into the military’s joint operation system.”
– Xi Jinping , Chinese President & Heads the Central Military Commission (CMC)
China’s Biggest Military Reorganization
This change in China’s military organization is said to be the biggest one since the year 2015. It is happening at a time when cyber tensions between China and global powers like the United States are increasing. Recently, the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand have accused China of sponsoring cyber activities that target democratic institutions. This shows how important cyber warfare has become in conflicts between countries around the world.
China’s disputed territorial claims over areas like Taiwan and almost all of the South China Sea make the security situation in the region even more complicated. This reorganization of the military under President Xi Jinping‘s leadership is viewed as a way for China to strengthen its position in these ongoing territorial disputes. It is also seen as a move to ensure China’s military operations in different areas are more united and cohesive.
Developing Cyberspace Force Crucial for Network Protection
China’s Defense Ministry said that developing the Cyberspace Force is an important task for quickly finding and stopping attacks on computer networks. “Cyber security is a challenge facing the whole world and it is a serious threat to China,” said Wu Qian, the spokesman for the ministry.
Wu Qian stated that developing the Cyberspace Force and improving cybersecurity and defense capabilities are crucial for strengthening the protection of China’s cyber borders. They are also vital for promptly detecting and countering intrusions into computer networks, as well as maintaining China’s control and security in cyberspace.
“We actively promote building a cyberspace environment that features peace, security, openness and cooperation,” he said.
The spokesman added, “We are committed to working together with the international community to jointly create a cyberspace community where everyone shares a common future.”
Chinese Hackers Allegedly Preparing to Attack US Infrastructure
Meanwhile, FBI director Christopher Wray has raised alarms about Chinese government-linked hackers getting into important US infrastructure systems. He described a scary situation where they could launch devastating cyber attacks whenever they wanted. Speaking at Vanderbilt University, Wray outlined the threats from an ongoing Chinese hacking campaign known as the Volt Typhoon.
According to Wray, this hacking campaign has successfully broken into the computer systems of several key American industries. These include telecommunications, energy, and water industries. Specifically, the hackers targeted 23 different pipeline operators. Wray made these remarks during the 2024 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats.
Wray expressed concerns about China’s hacking capabilities, saying “China is developing the ability to physically cause chaos and destruction to our critical infrastructure systems at a time of their choosing.” He further explained that the potential motives behind these cyber intrusions suggest they are part of a broader strategy to undermine the US’s resolve to defend allies like Taiwan. “China plans to strike civilian infrastructure systems with low blows in order to try and cause widespread panic,” Wray emphasized.
The true intent behind these Chinese cyber activities remains difficult to identify precisely. However, Wray indicated that they align with China’s larger strategic goals of deterring the US from taking any defensive actions to support Taiwan.
Risks are Higher than ever for US-China Cyber War
The United States and China have had many bilateral (between the two countries) and multilateral (involving multiple countries) dialogues on cyber-related issues in the past. For example, the 2015 summit meeting between President Obama and President Xi Jinping led to a series of agreements – some spoken and some unspoken – on cyber espionage, jointly investigating cyber crimes, and a process that eventually resulted in the U.S.-China High-Level Joint Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues.
However, these direct official dialogues between the U.S. and China have not led to substantial cooperation on cyber issues. Recently, President Biden warned Xi during a phone call against China using cyber attacks to target sensitive U.S. infrastructure systems, but no solutions or potential future dialogues seem to have been proposed.
There have been plenty of unofficial dialogues between the two countries as well, and some have suggested specific steps that could improve U.S.-China cyber relations and crisis management mechanisms. These include agreeing on mutual definitions of cyber terminology, strengthening direct communications between the two countries, and promoting restraint in the use of cyber capabilities. Unfortunately, despite all the attempts at facilitating U.S.-China cyber dialogues and improving relations, no concrete standards or guidelines on the use of cyber capabilities in a potential conflict have been adopted. Nor have U.S.-China cyber relations appeared to improve substantially.
China’s creation of its new cyber force is a very important move in increasing its military abilities amid rising tensions, especially with the United States. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, this action shows China’s focus on modernizing its military forces and defending its strategic interests, particularly in disputes over territory. As the cyber realm becomes more and more critical in global competition between nations, China’s new cyber force signals the start of a new era for international security.
