China’s Surveillance State Supremacy

In the era of technological advancement and geopolitical transformation, China's ascendance as a surveillance state stands as a striking testament to the fusion of innovation and control. The web of surveillance technologies through the unprecedented collection of big data has ushered in an era where every aspect of individual life and behavior is monitored and controlled. Beyond its domestic implications, China's surveillance state holds profound implications for the global landscape including the interplay of technology, governance, and individual rights on a global scale. 

As China has become a global leader in technology, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and big data analytics, it has harnessed these innovations to bolster its surveillance capabilities. The use of surveillance cameras equipped with facial recognition technology has become ubiquitous in Chinese cities. It is widespread in public spaces and is particularly concentrated in places where vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities, migrant workers, and those with a history of mental illness reside. This allows the government to disproportionately target and monitor these populations, enabling police abuse and stripping citizens of their privacy. While China maintains that surveillance that is for predictive policing is to enhance public safety and security, it allows for unjust targeting as the criteria for what the technology flags include critical flaws such as a biased algorithm.

The United States is, in part, responsible for China’s technological development and therefore their ability to become more repressive recently. Some claim that, “Washington's sanctions may have the unintended consequence of spurring the development of China's tech industry.” China has invested heavily in research and development to produce domestic alternatives, also known as technological decoupling. As the U.S. imposed sanctions and trade restrictions, it pushed China to become more competitive in the global tech market. Chinese tech firms, restricted from dealing with American counterparts, expanded their presence in other markets and offered alternatives to U.S. products and services, further establishing China as a formidable player in the tech industry. 

China's extensive surveillance plays a pivotal role in its increase of a repressive state, enabling the government to maintain a sense of nationalism through fear and sustain its authoritarian grip through strict political and social control. The use of surveillance allows the government to monitor political dissidents, activists, and potential threats to its power. These deemed threats aren’t necessarily even protestors posing an immediate threat, but even academics making remarks even remotely against the CCP. The vast data collection capabilities allow authorities to identify and track those who challenge the party's narrative or engage in dissenting activities. The suppression of free speech through the Great Firewall restricts access to external information and controls the narrative within China. It creates a digital environment where only state-approved information is accessible, reinforcing the CCP's political monopoly. Interestingly, 

the content that is censored is not just messages denouncing the CCP but “comments that represent, reinforce, or spur social mobilization, regardless of content.” Overall, both, the awareness of constant monitoring and filtered content serve as a powerful deterrent against dissent and non-compliance. It cultivates a culture of not only self-censorship but reporting of those who do not comply. The culmination of political suppression compels individuals to be aggressively nationalistic out of fear of government retribution. The fear of being labeled as a threat to the state superficially unifies the populace. 

Even though surveillance suppresses, there are ways for citizens to bypass these tactics, but most simply are not bothered or it actually benefits them to stay in line. China is able to get away with all this because, “as long as these individuals have opportunities to advance and improve their lives, they are less likely to oppose authority.” The continual opportunities for upward mobility, especially among the educated and wealthy, due to China’s exponentially growing economy keep citizens' concerns at bay and they are content enough to curb overall societal dismay. 

China's rapid development of surveillance technology has massive global implications. China has exported its technology to other authoritarian regimes around the world with poor human rights records, enabling these governments to enhance their surveillance capabilities. This not only strengthens their control over their populations but also hinders the spread of democracy and individual freedoms. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, specifically the “digital silk road,” surveillance technology is cheaply and widely available. China has made a public comment, “to increase “integrity” in Belt and Road projects, which could be read as an effort to weed out corruption and combat the lack of transparency that plagues Chinese investment deals.” However, the reality is that there is very little oversight actually enforcing this. China benefits from the spread of surveillance technology through the BRI in multiple ways. Firstly, the provision of these technologies creates economic dependencies on China. Countries that rely on Chinese investments and technology are more likely to align with China's interests, both economically and politically. This gives them substantial influence over the recipient nations, allowing them to exert pressure and shape policies to their advantage. The unchecked proliferation of surveillance technology presents serious challenges to global democracy and human rights. The erosion of individual freedoms and the growth of authoritarian surveillance states hinder the advancement of democratic principles internationally. 

The situation in China underscores the urgent need for comprehensive ethical and legal frameworks that govern the deployment of surveillance technologies, not only in China but globally. As technology continues to advance, the world is at a crucial juncture where the principles of privacy, security, and human rights need to be upheld and protected. The international community should strive to establish ethical standards and regulations that ensure the responsible use of surveillance technologies. Such frameworks should include mechanisms for regular audits, transparent development processes, and independent oversight to mitigate the risks of bias, misuse, and abuse. China's authoritarian state, with its centralized control and limited transparency, does indeed create unique challenges when it comes to holding them accountable. However, as technology continues to rapidly advance, the international community can still play a vital role in advocating for global ethical standards and guidelines that promote the responsible use of surveillance technologies and protect individual rights. It is in the United States and its allies’ best interest to take a leading role in these conversations as it will best fit their interest in supporting democratic values in the world and curbing Chinese hegemony.

Bibliography 

Bateman, Jon. "U.S.-China Technological Decoupling: Strategy and Policy Framework." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, April 25, 2022, 

https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/04/25/u.s.-china-technological-decoupling-strategy-and-pol icy-framework-pub-86897. 

Cook, Sarah. "China's Global Media Footprint Democratic Responses to Expanding Authoritarian Influence." National Endowment for Democracy. 

https://www.ned.org/sharp-power-and-democratic-resilience-series-chinas-global-media-f ootprint/. 

Freedom House. "China: Despite Restrictions, Citizens Conducted Hundreds of Protests Across China in Recent Months." November 14, 2022. 

https://freedomhouse.org/article/china-despite-restrictions-citizens-conducted-hundreds-p rotests-across-china-recent-months. 

Hessler, Peter. "A Teacher in China Learns the Limit of Free Expression." The New Yorker, May 9, 2022. 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/05/16/a-teacher-in-china-learns-the-limits-of -free-expression. 

King, Gary, Jennifer Pan, and Margaret E. Roberts. "How Censorship in China Allows Government Criticism but Silences Collective Expression" (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, May 2013), https://gking.harvard.edu/files/censored.pdf. 

Mazur, Paul, '. "'An Invisible Cage': How China Is Policing the Future." The New York Times, June 26, 2022. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/25/technology/china-surveillance-police.html. 

Nikkei (Asia). "Eyes everywhere: China's surveillance equipment spreads worldwide." February 16, 2022. 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-age-of-Great-China/Eyes-everywhere-China-s-surv eillance-equipment-spreads-worldwide. 

RFA Investigative and Gulchehra Hoja for RFA Uyghur. "In China, AI cameras alert police when a banner is unfurled." Radio Free Asia. 

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/surveillance-06052023142155.html. 

Tiezzi, Shannon. "How China Is Remaking the Belt and Road." The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2023/10/how-china-is-remaking-the-belt-and-road/.