China sees PLA playing frontline role in cyberspace

Beijing vowed on Tuesday to use all necessary means, including military ones, to wipe out subversion and attempts to undermine its sovereignty in cyberspace.

A strategy document released by top internet regulator the ­Cyberspace Administration said the use of the internet for treason, secession, revolt, subversion or stealing or leaking of state secrets would be punished. It also warned of penalties for working with “overseas forces” for sabotage, subversion or secession.

It identified cyberspace challenges facing China, saying the ­internet could be used by other nations to topple the political ­system, incite social disorder or paralyse the financial or telecoms infrastructure.

“[China] will regulate internet activities within the country’s sovereignty, protect the safety of information facilities and resources and take all means, including economic, administrative, technological, legal, diplomatic and military, to safeguard China’s ­cyberspace sovereignty,” the ­document said.

Tang Lan, an information ­security expert with the China ­Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said Beijing saw cyberspace as an extension of its national soil.