China’s Cyberespionage Presents a 21st-Century Challenge

China, with budget surpluses and plenty of cash, balances old and new strategies in foreign relations. Trade, energy deals, assertive territorial claims, aid, spying are all part of the mix, suggests Fareed Zakaria in an opinion essay for the Washington Post. The United States has charged five Chinese military personnel for economic cyberespionage conducted against US companies. Analysts suggest that Chinese cyberespionage could be extensive, targeting defense contractors and household product designs. “Cyberattacks are part of a new, messy, chaotic world, fueled by globalization and the information revolution,” Zakaria writes. “In a wired, networked world, it is much harder to shut down activity that blurs the lines between governments and private citizens, national and international realms, theft and warfare.” The accusations exchanged between the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies, could lead to a new wave of protectionism. – YaleGlobal