The uncertainty among analysts in China is palpable. So far, the only thing that seems clear is that Beijing is closing more and more data sources to foreign countries. He would also like to know where all this is leading, says one. And he could not say which areas the Chinese measures against the flow of information will affect. Signs of isolation are spreading to the information sector.
Jochen Stahnke
Political correspondent for China, Taiwan and North Korea, based in Beijing.
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A few days ago, the Chinese leadership tightened a security law that extends the criminal offense of espionage to the disclosure of all documents, data, materials and objects relating to national security. It does not define what falls under national security. Potentially, this can affect any disclosure of information.
U.S. Ambassador to Beijing Nicholas Burns said Tuesday that the legislation could "put at risk" academics, professors and journalists and make everyday activities and due diligence, including those required for international companies, illegal. "When you combine that with some of the punitive measures that the government in Beijing has recently taken against American companies, we're very concerned about that," Burns said.
Xi wants to "build a protective wall around the nation"
The Chinese leadership has been strengthening its defenses against foreign influence for some time. Dependencies are reduced, vulnerability is avoided in all areas. Beijing sees itself economically and militarily surrounded by America and its partners. As early as 2020, state and party leader Xi Jinping had stated in a Politburo meeting that "we will build a protective wall around the nation". To this end, Beijing has enacted a series of new security laws. Increasingly, this also affects information areas.
It goes against research: In April, China restricted access to the largest research database to date, CNKI, for foreigners. The scientific publications or statistical yearbooks offered there can hardly be viewed from abroad. The provider of the Chinese database justified the step with new "measures for cross-border data transfer".
It hits companies: The important Shanghai financial and economic database Wind, which claims to have data on millions of companies, employees and legal cases, is no longer offering renewals of its subscriptions from abroad, reports the Wall Street Journal. Wind justified this by saying that he had to comply with "regulations".
Exit bans also for foreigners
It goes against journalists: The editor Dong Yuyu, who worked for the major party newspaper "Guangming Daily", was arrested on charges of espionage. Dong had met regularly with diplomats, journalists and researchers from abroad. Even Chinese political scientists, who in the past occasionally shared their analyses with the foreign press, are now cancelling. If their phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not already deactivated.