Book review: 2034: a novel of the next world war

Kenddrick Chan reviews this geopolitical thriller that envisions how great power conflict will play out in the digital era of the near future

The infrastructures of global connectivity: 5G networks

This primer outlines what 5G telecommunication networks are, how they function, and what the relevant policy considerations are, given ongoing policy debates

Twitter and digital diplomacy: China and COVID-19

This Strategic Update explores how official Chinese foreign policy entities have used Twitter as a public diplomacy platform during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nature of their Twitter activity, and what this means for Chinese Twitter Diplomacy in the future

Enhancing efforts at global digital governance: recommendations to the G20

This policy brief highlights the challenges in attaining effective global digital governance. These include uncertainty regarding the ethical, operational, and strategic implications of digital technologies, and limited avenues for private sector expertise. The G20 is well-placed to effect meaningful change in global digital governance. The brief proposes three recommendations: (1) the establishment of a scientific advisory committee, which is intended to be an honest (knowledge) broker and fill gaps in subject matter expertise; (2) the formation of a public-private partnership task force to stuck and provide recommendations based on previous experiences with multilateralism and global governance that have successfully incorporated private sector expertise; and (3) the launch of a new Sherpa Track initiative that will serve as a platform for senior leaders to discuss global digital governance topics. By adopting these recommendations, the G20 can effectively enhance global digital governance efforts and contribute to a more stable and secure world

‘Unpacking’ technical attribution and challenges for ensuring stability in cyberspace

Submission to 2021–2025 UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies

Climate financing in Africa: strategies for the future

This report provides a comprehensive overview of climate policy in Africa, highlighting existing policy frameworks geared towards building climate resilience across the continent. It also examines the categories of, investors in, and capital deployment strategies present in Africa’s climate finance ecosystem. We believe this collaborative report, which contains valuable recommendations for both governments and private sector investors, will undoubtedly spur effective action and have a positive impact in Africa’s fight against climate change

Against the grain: the data regulatory regimes of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan vis-à-vis Russia, China, and Big Tech

Given the relative proximity of Central Asia to Russia and China, the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have extensive military ties with Russia, in addition to playing a significant role in China’s Belt and Road (BRI) and Digital Silk Road (DSR) initiatives. However, when it comes to cyberspace regulation and policy diffusion pathways, we find that the data policies of both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan differ from their Russian or Chinese counterparts— particularly with regards to data sovereignty and data localisation are pertinent to Kazakhstani and Uzbekistani policymakers. This divergence is most notable with Kazakh and Uzbek approaches to US-headquartered Big Tech companies. The data regulatory regimes of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan engage in a ‘balancing act’, involving a mix of strict data laws observed in Russia and China on one side, and various compliance agreements with Big Tech companies on the other. Additionally, we find that while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan may seek to exercise their agency in data policy formulation, they nonetheless remain constrained by technical limitations regarding policy implementation. All of this contributes to a dynamic operational environment that is constantly in flux, which carries implications for Big Tech companies looking to conduct operations in Central Asia

China’s changing disinformation and propaganda targeting Taiwan

Since early August, evidence has emerged of a new type of CCP influence operation that sharply diverges away from traditional messaging and tactics