China unveils its first civil-military cybersecurity innovation center

China on Tuesday unveiled the nation’s first cybersecurity innovation center developed under the national strategy of civil-military integration, amid Beijing’s call to step up its national cyber defenses.

The freshly-established center has set the ambitious goal of setting up a cutting-edge cybersecurity defense system for the military to help win future cyber wars.

It was set up under the instruction of the Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development and related military bodies, which will also supervise and manage the center during its operation by one of China’s leading cybersecurity companies, 360 Enterprise Security Group.

According to Wu Yunkun, president of the security group, the center will focus on building cyber defense systems for military-related internet services and a threat intelligence sharing mechanism for military users in the first stage.

It will work to encourage more small- and medium-sized companies to cooperate on technology R&D projects in order to guarantee the supply of cyber defense services that can meet practical combat requirements, Wu introduced.

Specifically, the center wants to set up a special fund for cybersecurity innovation investment and teams of researchers that are supported by local governments, the military, and enterprises. It is also mulling to conduct a pilot study on cyber militia construction and to set up a mechanism to offer cyber emergency response services and advanced persistent threat (APT) analysis and monitoring services to the military and local government bodies.

China has long attached significance to cybersecurity, and the eminent influence of cybersecurity in the military domain in particular has been increasingly valued by the central government.

In a strategy paper released by Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) last December, China vowed to develop a cyber defense compatible with its international status as a major cyber power – a national goal with a development timeline by 2035.

Three months later, an international strategy document published by the Chinese foreign ministry and CAC made clear that national defense in cyberspace is one crucial part of Chinese military modernization, following the same military strategy of active defense.

“Countries like the US and Israel that are taking the lead in cyberspace development have demonstrated how cybersecurity companies can help support a nation’s national defense needs in the virtual world. In turn, the development of cyber defense can help give a boost to the whole industry,” Qi Xiangdong, Chairman of the 360 Enterprise Security Group, noted at the ceremony.