community as soon as possible.^62 China voted for theArms Trade Treatyin
November 2012. This move facilitated further arms sales dialogues between China
and the EU and intensified cooperation on global affairs between the two sides.
- Cyber security
In the last two years, cyber security has become the issue rapidly attracting
attention in the China-EU high-level political dialogues. At the 15th China-EU
Summit, both sides agreed to set up the Cyber Working Group to exchange views
on cyber issues of common concern, enhancing mutual trust and understanding.^63
After the Summit, this group was established and held thefirst working meeting.
As a matter of fact, the establishment of the Cyber Working Group accorded
with the growing concerns of China and the EU about cyber security. According to
the2011 China Internet Cyber Security Reportreleased by the National Computer
Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China in
2012, the development of new technologies exposed China to increasingly severe
threat from overseas network attacks. In 2011, 47,000 overseas IP addresses were
involved in controlling nearly 8.9 million mainframes within China, an increase of
3.9 million controlled domestic mainframes as compared with that in 2010.^64 A
Chinese official pointed out that“internet has become the 5th largest space next to
air, sea, land and space, and China is willing to cooperate with all countries in this
field on an equal footing”.^65
In February 2013, the European Commission issued a white paper entitled the
EU Cyber Security Strategydesigned to reinforce the cyber security of govern-
ments, enterprises and individuals and to effectively protect the basic rights and
economic security of its citizens.^66 According to this white paper, cyber crimes
driven by economic benefits and funded by some states are posing threats to the
cyber security of governments and enterprises in the EU countries.^67 The EU High
Representative Catherine Ashton added that“the EU cyber diplomacy will become
(^62) He Yun,Changes in China’s Stance in the Arms Trade Negotiations,http://www.safeworld.org.
uk/news-and-views/comment/65.
(^63) Joint Press Communiquéof the 15th China-EU Leaders’Meeting, Xinhuanet.com,http://news.
xinhuanet.com/world/2012_09/21/c_123741988.htm.
(^64) China Has Become the Hardest-hit Victim of Network Attack and Will Deepen International
Cooperation in Cyber Security, People’s Daily Online,http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2012/0704/
c70731-18443353.html.
(^65) China Has Become the Hardest-hit Victim of Network Attack and Will Deepen International
Cooperation in Cyber Security, People’s Daily Online,http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2012/0704/
c70731-18443353.html.
(^66) The European Commission,“Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council
and the European Economic and Social Committee and Committee for the Regions,‘Cyber
security of European Union: an Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace’,”Brussels, 7 February 2013,
JOIN(2013) 1final.
(^67) Ibid, p. 34.
58 J. Li et al.