Ever-evolving information and communication technologies have brought about new opportunities, as well as unprecedented challenges, and both will not be restricted within one country's border.

Efforts to deal with emerging threats and safeguarding security in cyberspace require more international cooperation, and while good faith, mutual trust and joint commitment are needed, among the least wanted are a zero-sum mentality and Cold War ideology.

It is even more dangerous if those who have the most advanced information technologies resort to a Cold War mentality to maintain their hegemony in the cyber world.

Unfortunately, the United States' unfounded commercial cyber espionage charges against Chinese military officers is a sheer display of such mentality, and it looks even more farcical as the United States itself seems not so perceptive about its own surveillance around the world.

At an international symposium on information and network security in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong called for efforts to set up a new security concept featuring mutual trust and benefit, equality and coordination.

In terms of international cooperation in cyberspace security, there is much work that can be done: communication to formulate relevant international rules, a joint commitment to fight cyberspace crimes and terrorism, and collaboration in technological development and innovation.

However, before all of these can be carried out, a prerequisite is trust and consensus among parties involved. This trust and consensus should be built on the basis of respect for other countries' sovereignty.

Sovereignty in cyberspace requires that all countries should have the right and power to exercise jurisdiction over information facilities and activities within their own territories as well as to enforce their own policies formulated in accordance with their specific situations.

No country is allowed to use the Internet to interfere with domestic affairs of other countries or harm the interests of others.

Last year, an important consensus by a United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on cyber issues affirmed that international law, especially the UN Charter which spells out the sovereign equality principle, applies in cyberspace.

The flow of information on the Internet is border-free, but it should be noted that jurisdiction and police powers of a country have their boundaries.

Every country should observe the jurisdiction boundary when exercising their administration over cyberspace and refrain from stretching their arms too long and meddling in other countries' affairs.

While sincerity and mutual respect can help to accumulate agreements for a constructive win-win cooperation, Cold War ideology and zero-sum mentality can only undermine it and achieve nothing.