Global Internet Governance in Chinese Academic Literature: Rebalancing a Hegemonic World Order?

In this article, the author explores the notion of cybersovereignty from the perspective of China. With sampling of 13 academic articles from the CNKI database, she outlines the different perspectives of various Chinese academics to give a better picture of how China thinks of cybersovereignty. She notes the asymmetry between developed and developing countries on views of cybersovereignty, arguing that the US uses its hegemony as a way of undermining and controlling the cyber resources of other countries. She uses China’s perspectives on ICANN, the PRISM scandal, and the multistakeholder debate, to show the US’ increasingly questioned role in internet governance due to its “double standard” and the opportunity for China to make a place for itself as a cyberpower. Keywords: Internet governance, China, cybersovereignty, China-US relations, hegemony