“Comrade Zheng Bijian’s proposal on building a world-class cyber great power deserves careful study.”

“Comrade Zheng Bijian’s Proposal on Building a World-Class Cyber Great Power Deserves Careful Study,” Central Committee, July 28, 2013

Zheng Bijian’s historic April 4, 2013 proposal for China to become a world-class Cyber Great Power within ten years was considered, accepted, and then forwarded for “further review” by a Central Committee notification on July 28, 2013.

The July 28th Central Committee notification, signed by four Politburo members (one of them a Standing Committee member), noted that “Comrade Zheng Bijian’s proposal on building a world-class cyber great power deserves careful study.” Also important, the notification was signed by Party leaders, both military and civilian. In China, cyberspace was a “fused” domain from the start. A lot more to come on that, and what it means in terms of Digital China.

Zheng’s April 4th proposal, recorded by the State Council Secretariat on May 31st, and forwarded by Central Committee for “further review” on July 28th, was publicly accepted by Xi Jinping in February 2014 when he proposed that China achieve Cyber Great Power status during the first meeting of the newly formed Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization.

A translation of the July 2013 Central Committee Notification follows below:

Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
中国共产党中央委员会

Please read the notification by (State Council Vice Premier; Politburo Standing Committee Member) Zhang Gaoli, (State Council Vice Premier; Politburo Member) Ma Kai, (CMC Vice Chairman; Politburo Member) Xu Qiliang, and (CMC Vice Chairman;Politburo Member) Fan Changlong.
请高丽、马凯、其亮、长龙通知阅。

Comrade Zheng Bijian’s proposal on building a world-class cyber great power deserves careful study.
郑必坚同志关于建设世界一流网络强国的建议值得认真研究。

Cybersecurity is a matter of national security, economic development, and social stability. We must view the situation holistically from the national strategic level. Rules and regulations must be well designed, policies must be implemented comprehensively, and the institutional advantage of concentrating efforts on major tasks must be used to identify gaps and increase investment. We must catch up and work hard to build our country into a cyber great power with a clear strategy, advanced technology, industrial leadership, and a well-equipped government.
网络安全事关国家安全、 经济发展和社会稳定要，从国家战略层面整体布局, 搞好规则设计, 综合施策，发挥集中力量办大事的制度优势，找准差距, 加大投入，都起直追，努力吧我国建成战略清晰、技术先进、产业领先、政务兼备的网络强国。