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Cybersecurity
TechPolicy

China faces cybersecurity talent shortage amid push to secure data and develop the digital economy

  • A new report from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says China’s cybersecurity industry is facing a shortage of highly skilled talent
  • Beijing has raised cybersecurity scrutiny this year, passing new laws and regulations and launching probes into tech companies like Didi Chuxing

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The opening ceremony of China’s 2021 Cybersecurity Week in Xian, the event’s host city this year. Coinciding with the event, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released a report this week saying the country faces a shortage of cybersecurity talent. Photo: Xinhua
Xinmei Shen

China is facing a shortage of cybersecurity talent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), providing an obstacle to the country’s goal of further developing the digital economy in the coming years.

There is a severe “imbalance” in the supply and demand of cybersecurity talent in China, a report published by the MIIT on Tuesday said. In addition to a general labour shortage, the industry also faces a skills mismatch, according to the report.

While there is a ready supply of workers for low-end operation, maintenance, technical support and risk evaluation, there is a lack of high-end talent that understands both the business and technical sides of the industry, according to the MIIT.

Cybersecurity has been a growing concern amid the Covid-19 pandemic, during which cyberattacks have been on the rise. Demand for cybersecurity talent grew 40 per cent in the first half of 2021 year on year, according to the report.
The MIIT also estimated in a three-year plan in July that the industry could be worth more than US$38.6 billion by 2023.

The agency’s latest report was published during China’s eighth annual “cybersecurity week”, when central and local authorities promote good cybersecurity practices through a range of activities that include exhibitions and knowledge contests held in cities across China. A conference is also being held in Xian, this year’s host city, and the week’s theme is “cybersecurity for the people, by the people”, according to the event’s official website.

China has fleshed out its cybersecurity governance framework this year with multiple new laws and regulations, but businesses are still waiting for additional guidance to explain what this means for them operationally.

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