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Institute of New Europe Institute of New Europe
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Nov 08
5G, Analysis, China, Israel, New technologies, Poland, Publications, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, USA

“China’s Digital Silk Road: integration into national IT infrastructure and wider implications for Western defence industries” – summary of the discussion

November 8, 2021
“China’s Digital Silk Road: integration into national IT infrastructure and wider implications for Western defence industries” – summary of the discussionDownload

Key points:

– The Digital Silk Road covers a wide range of digital, physical, and platform technologies and services;

– most of the surveyed countries have strong ties with the US in terms of defence and industry; however, not all of them took steps to avoid the risk of integrating Chinese technology into their national digital systems;

– the analysed countries found themselves in the middle of the technological rivalry between the USA and China;

– Chinese companies have demonstrated the ability to implement flexible strategies.

During the online discussion organized on 26 June 2021 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), British research institute, titled “China’s Digital Silk Road: integration into national IT infrastructure and wider implications for Western defence industries” were presented conclusions from the analysis of the situation in five countries: Indonesia, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Poland.

Indonesia and South Korea

Alexander Neill, Executive Director of Alexander Neill Consulting, started the discussion by presenting the situation in Indonesia and South Korea. As he pointed out, the digital security sector in Indonesia is in the early stages of its existence. At the same time, Korea has an advanced network and a well-developed cybersecurity sector.

Chinese technology is widespread in both countries. Technology giants from the Middle Kingdom are investing there using long-term strategies and, apart from building technical infrastructure, are also opening training centres.

China has basically built Indonesia’s critical digital infrastructure from scratch. Huawei is present in all areas of the country’s digital infrastructure. The potential future tensions between Indonesia and China, resulting in Beijing adopting an aggressive strategy, could pose a significant threat to the country’s cybersecurity.

The Republic of Korea, although a powerful exporter of ICT, is not self-sufficient in this regard. China is an important supplier to the Korean manufacturing base. On the other hand, the United States is putting pressure on the Korean government to obtain assurances that Chinese activities do not pose a threat to US forces stationed in Korea; to break out of the current ICT supply chain; and avoid Huawei’s presence in 5G networks.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates

As Camille Lons and Nawafel Shebab (the IISS-Middle East office in Bahrain) stated, Israel and the United Arab Emirates constituted the most interesting cases in the Middle East region. It is for the reason that both countries have the most advanced technological ties with China and, at the same time, work closely on security with the US.

Israel has the most advanced ICT ecosystem in the region. The possibility of including the Chinese 5G system was not considered by the authorities in Tel Aviv due to the awareness of the potential threat to Israel and concern from the US. On the other hand, Chinese investments in Israeli start-ups and companies enabling technological transfer from Israel to China are more visible. Although they give Israeli companies access to the colossal Chinese market, local start-ups and other Israeli entrepreneurs prefer to work with Western partners.

UAE is not a technological producer, but at present, there is a very strong political will to digitalize their economy and to massively invest in new technologies. Abu Dhabi aims to strengthen cooperation with Chinese technology companies in research and development, security technology, and citizen control. However, due to increasing US pressure, Gulf telecommunications companies have made many efforts to avoid dependence on Chinese Huawei.

Poland

Scott Malcomson, director of special projects at Strategic Insight Group, pointed out that Chinese technology giants appeared in Poland in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century with a large advertising and image campaign. Initially, it brought very good results. The Chinese government established a number of Confucius Institutes at Polish universities, and Warsaw became the regional headquarters of Huawei. In 2019, a former Chinese government official who worked for Huawei and a former Polish security officer were charged with espionage. During this period, Poland changed its approach to the Chinese technological presence on our market and its development prospects.

Conclusions

Meia Nouwens, Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation at the IISS summed up the discussion. She listed the main phenomena that were observed during the research. Both the Belt and Road Initiative and the Digital Silk Road are based on previous infrastructure investments in target countries. The Digital Silk Road covers a wide range of digital technologies, both physical and platform, and services. In a situation where the domestic market becomes saturated, Chinese technology giants faced the need to gain new absorptive foreign markets. All the countries discussed were examples of the mass sale of Chinese smartphones there, as well as the participation of the Chinese in the fourth industrial revolution. These countries are facing the necessity to develop the infrastructure of the ICT network. There is a visible commitment and collaboration between Chinese and local technology companies, start-ups, government, academic, and research institutions. Poland, Korea, and Israel were also a source of talent acquisition in the field of technological innovation.

All the countries surveyed found themselves in the middle of the US-China technological rivalry. The result was an increased effort by the U.S. government to influence domestic decisions to ban or restrict Chinese technology. However, the responses to the Americans’ efforts varied. The study also showed the ability of Chinese companies to adapt to changes and apply a flexible strategy. They engaged in philanthropic projects to maintain a positive image in the eyes of governments and the public. Almost all countries have strong defence and industrial political ties to the US, however, few governments have made any real efforts to mitigate the potential risk of integrating Chinese technology into their national digital ecosystems.

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Piotr Puzio Piotr Puzio. Graduate of International Economic Relations at the Cracow University of Economics and a fifth-year student of Eurasian Studies at the Jagiellonian University. His research interests include international relations in the Caucasus region, the activity and influence of regional powers, Georgia's internal policy and its relations with Euro-Atlantic structures. He is also interested in economic cooperation, energy security and conflicts in the post-Soviet area.

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Piotr Puzio Piotr Puzio. Graduate of International Economic Relations at the Cracow University of Economics and a fifth-year student of Eurasian Studies at the Jagiellonian University. His research interests include international relations in the Caucasus region, the activity and influence of regional powers, Georgia's internal policy and its relations with Euro-Atlantic structures. He is also interested in economic cooperation, energy security and conflicts in the post-Soviet area.
Program Europa tworzą:

Marcin Chruściel

Dyrektor programu. Absolwent studiów doktoranckich z zakresu nauk o polityce na Uniwersytecie Wrocławskim, magister stosunków międzynarodowych i europeistyki Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. Prezes Zarządu Instytutu Nowej Europy.

dr Artur Bartoszewicz

Przewodniczący Rady Programowej Instytutu Nowej Europy. Doktor nauk ekonomicznych Szkoły Głównej Handlowej. Ekspert w dziedzinie polityki publicznej, w tym m. in. strategii państwa i gospodarki.

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Specjalizuje się w relacjach sportu i polityki. Autor analiz, komentarzy i wywiadów z zakresu dyplomacji sportowej i polityki międzynarodowej. Były dziennikarz Polsat News i wysłannik redakcji zagranicznej Telewizji Polskiej.

Maciej Pawłowski

Ekspert ds. migracji, gospodarki i polityki państw basenu Morza Śródziemnego. W latach 2018-2020 Analityk PISM ds. Południowej Europy. Autor publikacji w polskiej i zagranicznej prasie na temat Hiszpanii, Włoch, Grecji, Egiptu i państw Magrebu. Od września 2020 r. mieszka w północnej Afryce (Egipt, Algieria).

Jędrzej Błaszczak

Absolwent studiów prawniczych Uniwersytetu Śląskiego w Katowicach. Jego zainteresowania badawcze koncentrują się na Inicjatywie Trójmorza i polityce w Bułgarii. Doświadczenie zdobywał w European Foundation of Human Rights w Wilnie, Center for the Study of Democracy w Sofii i polskich placówkach dyplomatycznych w Teheranie i Tbilisi.

Program Bezpieczeństwo tworzą:

dr Aleksander Olech

Dyrektor programu. Wykładowca na Baltic Defence College, absolwent Europejskiej Akademii Dyplomacji oraz Akademii Sztuki Wojennej. Jego główne zainteresowania badawcze to terroryzm, bezpieczeństwo w Europie Środkowo-Wschodniej oraz rola NATO i UE w środowisku zagrożeń hybrydowych.

dr Agnieszka Rogozińska

Członek Rady Programowej Instytutu Nowej Europy. Doktor nauk społecznych w dyscyplinie nauki o polityce. Zainteresowania badawcze koncentruje na problematyce bezpieczeństwa euroatlantyckiego, instytucjonalnym wymiarze bezpieczeństwa i współczesnych zagrożeniach.

Aleksy Borówka

Doktorant na Wydziale Nauk Społecznych Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Przewodniczący Krajowej Reprezentacji Doktorantów w kadencji 2020. Autor kilkunastu prac naukowych, poświęconych naukom o bezpieczeństwie, naukom o polityce i administracji oraz stosunkom międzynarodowym. Laureat I, II oraz III Międzynarodowej Olimpiady Geopolitycznej.

Karolina Siekierka

Absolwentka Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego na kierunku stosunki międzynarodowe, specjalizacji Bezpieczeństwo i Studia Strategiczne. Jej zainteresowania badawcze obejmują politykę zagraniczną i wewnętrzną Francji, prawa człowieka oraz konflikty zbrojne.

Stanisław Waszczykowski

Podoficer rezerwy, student studiów magisterskich na kierunku Bezpieczeństwo Międzynarodowe i Dyplomacja na Akademii Sztuki Wojennej, były praktykant w BBN. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują m.in. operacje pokojowe ONZ oraz bezpieczeństwo Ukrainy.

Leon Pińczak

Student studiów drugiego stopnia na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim na kierunku stosunki międzynarodowe. Dziennikarz polskojęzycznej redakcji Biełsatu. Zawodowo zajmuje się obszarem postsowieckim, rosyjską polityką wewnętrzną i doktrynami FR. Biegle włada językiem rosyjskim.

Program Indo-Pacyfik tworzą:

Łukasz Kobierski

Dyrektor programu. Współzałożyciel INE oraz prezes zarządu w latach 2019-2021. Stypendysta szkoleń z zakresu bezpieczeństwa na Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security w Waszyngtonie, ekspert od stosunków międzynarodowych. Absolwent Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego oraz Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika. Wiceprezes Zarządu INE.

dr Joanna Siekiera

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He specializes in relationship of sports and politics. Author of analysis, comments and interviews in the field of sports diplomacy and international politics. Former Polsat News and Polish Television’s foreign desk journalist.

Maciej Pawłowski

Expert on migration, economics and politics of Mediterranean countries. In the period of 2018-2020 PISM Analyst on Southern Europe. Author of various articles in Polish and foreign press about Spain, Italy, Greece, Egypt and Maghreb countries. Since September 2020 lives in North Africa (Egypt, Algeria).

Jędrzej Błaszczak

Graduate of Law at the University of Silesia. His research interests focus on the Three Seas Initiative and politics in Bulgaria. He acquired experience at the European Foundation of Human Rights in Vilnius, the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, and in Polish embassies in Tehran and Tbilisi.

PhD Aleksander Olech

Programme director. Visiting lecturer at the Baltic Defence College, graduate of the European Academy of Diplomacy and War Studies University. His main research interests include terrorism, international cooperation for security in Eastern Europe and the role of NATO and the EU with regard to hybrid threats.

PhD Agnieszka Rogozińska

Member of the Institute's Programme Board. Doctor of Social Sciences in the discipline of Political Science. Editorial secretary of the academic journals "Politics & Security" and "Independence: journal devoted to Poland's recent history". Her research interests focus on security issues.

Aleksy Borówka

PhD candidate at the Faculty of Social Sciences in the University of Wroclaw, the President of the Polish National Associations of PhD Candidates in 2020. The author of dozen of scientific papers, concerning security studies, political science, administration, international relations. Laureate of the I, II and III International Geopolitical Olympiad.

Karolina Siekierka

Graduate of International Relations specializing in Security and Strategic Studies at University of Warsaw. Erasmus student at the Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1) and the Institut d’Etudes Politique de Paris (Sciences Po Paris). Her research areas include human rights, climate change and armed conflicts.

Stanisław Waszczykowski

Reserve non-commissioned officer. Master's degree student in International Security and Diplomacy at the War Studies University in Warsaw, former trainee at the National Security Bureau. His research interests include issues related to UN peacekeeping operations and the security of Ukraine.

Leon Pińczak

A second-degree student at the University of Warsaw, majoring in international relations. A journalist of the Polish language edition of Belsat. Interested in the post-Soviet area, with a particular focus on Russian internal politics and Russian doctrines - foreign, defense and information-cybernetic.

Łukasz Kobierski

Programme director. Deputy President of the Management Board. Scholarship holder at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security in Washington and an expert in the field of international relations. Graduate of the University of Warsaw and the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

PhD Joanna Siekiera

International lawyer, Doctor of social sciences, postdoctor at the Faculty of Law, University of Bergen, Norway. She was a scholarship holder of the New Zealand government at the Victoria University of Wellington, Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in Germany, Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques in France.

Paweł Paszak

Graduate of International Relations (specialisation in East Asian Studies) from the University of Warsaw and scholarship holder at the University of Kent (UK) and Hainan University (China). PhD candidate at the University of Warsaw and the War Studies University. His research areas include the foreign policy of China and the strategic rivalry between China and the US in the Indo-Pacific.

Jakub Graca

Master of International Relations at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. He also studied Arabic therein. An analyst at the Center for International Initiatives (Warsaw) and the Institute of New Europe. Research interests: United States (mainly foreign policy), transatlantic relations.

Patryk Szczotka

A graduate of Far Eastern Philology with a specialization in China Studies at the University of Wroclaw and a student of a double degree “China and International Relations” at Aalborg University and University of International Relations (国际关系学院) in Beijing. His research interests include EU-China political and economic relations, as well as diplomacy.

Three Seas Think Tanks Hub is a platform of cooperation among different think tanks based in 3SI member countries. Their common goal is to strengthen public debate and understanding of the Three Seas region seen from the political, economic and security perspective. The project aims at exchanging ideas, research and publications on the region’s potential and challenges.

Members

The Baltic Security Foundation (Latvia)

The BSF promotes the security and defense of the Baltic Sea region. It gathers security experts from the region and beyond, provides a platform for discussion and research, promotes solutions that lead to stronger regional security in the military and other areas.

The Institute for Politics and Society (Czech Republic)

The Institute analyses important economic, political, and social areas that affect today’s society. The mission of the Institute is to cultivate the Czech political and public sphere through professional and open discussion.

Nézöpont Institute (Hungary)

The Institute aims at improving Hungarian public life and public discourse by providing real data, facts and opinions based on those. Its primary focus points are Hungarian youth, media policy and Central European cooperation.

The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (Austria)

The wiiw is one of the principal centres for research on Central, East and Southeast Europe with 50 years of experience. Over the years, the Institute has broadened its expertise, increasing its regional coverage – to European integration, the countries of Wider Europe and selected issues of the global economy.

The International Institute for Peace (Austria)

The Institute strives to address the most topical issues of the day and promote dialogue, public engagement, and a common understanding to ensure a holistic approach to conflict resolution and a durable peace. The IIP functions as a platform to promote peace and non-violent conflict resolution across the world.

The Institute for Regional and International Studies (Bulgaria)

The IRIS initiates, develops and implements civic strategies for democratic politics at the national, regional and international level. The Institute promotes the values of democracy, civil society, freedom and respect for law and assists the process of deepening Bulgarian integration in NATO and the EU.

The European Institute of Romania

EIR is a public institution whose mission is to provide expertise in the field of European Affairs to the public administration, the business community, the social partners and the civil society. EIR’s activity is focused on four key domains: research, training, communication, translation of the EHRC case-law.

The Institute of New Europe (Poland)

The Institute is an advisory and analytical non-governmental organisation active in the fields of international politics, international security and economics. The Institute supports policy-makers by providing them with expert opinions, as well as creating a platform for academics, publicists, and commentators to exchange ideas.

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