Few doubt that China wants to be a major economic and military power on the world stage. To achieve this ambitious goal, however, the PRC leadership knows that China must first become an advanced information-based society. But does China have what it takes to get there? Are its leaders prepared to make the tough choices required to secure China s cyber future? Or is there a fundamental mismatch between China s cyber ambitions and the policies pursued by the CCP until now? This book offers the first comprehensive analysis of China s information society. It explores the key practical challenges facing Chinese politicians as they try to marry the development of modern information and communications technology with old ways of governing their people and conducting international relations. Fundamental realities of the information age, not least its globalizing character, are forcing the pace of technological change in China and are not fully compatible with the old PRC ethics of stability, national industrial strength and sovereignty. What happens to China in future decades will depend on the ethical choices its leaders are willing to make today. The stakes are high. But if China s ruling party does not adapt more aggressively to the defining realities of power and social organization in the information age, the China dream looks unlikely to become a reality.

Few doubt that China wants to be a major economic and militarypower on the world stage. To achieve this ambitious goal, howeverthe PRC leadership knows that China must first become an advancedinformation-based society. But does China have what it takes to getthere? Are its leaders prepared to make the tough choices requiredto secure China's cyber future? Or is there a fundamentalmismatch between China's cyber ambitions and the policiespursued by the CCP until now?This book offers the first comprehensive analysis of China'sinformation society. It explores the key practical challengesfacing Chinese politicians as they try to marry the development ofmodern information and communications technology with old ways ofgoverning their people and conducting international relations.Fundamental realities of the information age, not least itsglobalizing character, are forcing the pace of technological changein China and are not fully compatible with the old PRC ethics ofstability, national industrial strength and sovereignty. Whathappens to China in future decades will depend on the ethicalchoices its leaders are willing to make today. The stakes are high.But if China's ruling party does not adapt more aggressivelyto the defining realities of power and social organization in theinformation age, the 'China dream' looks unlikely tobecome a reality.

* Preface* Acknowledgments* 1. China?s Cyber Ambition* 2. Legacy Values* 3. eDemocracy, iDictatorship* 4. Innovative Information Society* 5. Security in the Global Infosphere* 6. The Road Ahead