UK NSA criticizes China, Russia use of space, cyber technologies

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Jul 2022 20:40

UK NSA adviser delivered his remarks on Wednesday during a speech at a virtual event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.

UK NSA criticizes China, Russia's use of space, cyber technologies

While delivering his speech on Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, UK National Security Advisor Stephen Lovegrove said that China and Russia's use and development of space and cyber technologies were weakening the global security architecture.

“Now we face a much broader range of strategic risks and pathways for escalation. Driven by the developments of science and technology including rapid technological advancement, the shift to hybrid warfare, and expanding competition in new domains such as space and cyber. These are all exacerbated by Russia’s repeated violations of its treaty commitments and the peace and scale with which China is expanding its nuclear and conventional arsenals and the disdain, it is showing for engaging in any arms control agreements,” Lovegrove said during his speech.

"We need to start thinking about the new security order," he added, "both elements that have guaranteed strategic stability in the past – effective deterrence in all of its forms, combined with a renewal of a functional arms control framework – need urgent attention."

Nothing could come closer to a representation of the cold-war atmosphere that characterizes the current geopolitical landscape at present time. While tensions have been on the rise from Russia's side, especially with regard to the war with Ukraine and the many sanctions imposed on the country, China on the other hand has witnessed significant improvements, particularly in the development of space and cyber technologies.

Just a few days ago, it launched a major module to its Tiangong space station which is permanently in orbit. The whole operation is intended to assist with completing the construction of the space station, which is specifically designed for scientific and biological experiments to be carried out, as well as testing new technologies.

On the other hand, Russia successfully developed a new blockchain-based called CELLS to replace the SWIFT interbank payment system from which Russian banks were excluded via EU sanctions. Thanks to this new mechanism, along with other strategic plans the Putin administration had set in place, the country managed to make impressive headways, challenging the expectations of the IMF. It recently pulled itself out of the ISS due to the growing tension with the West.

The US had recently bolstered a new bill that would allow an increase in the production of semiconductors in a bit to increase competition against China in the production of computer chips. It has in recent months increased efforts to strengthen technological cooperation with countries including South Korea and Japan to create semiconductor supply chains that bypass China.