US-China Strategic Competition in Cyberspace and Its Normative Challenges to Global Order

Abstract

The study conducted to assess the role of cyberspace in the tensions which are central to the great power rivalry between China and the United States. The US and China have been in the strategic competition in the economic, military, and technological realms and cyberspace is one of the aspects of the strategic rivalry and it has implications beyond the domestic realm into the international rule-based order which was setup by the United States and the West after the World War 2. The objective of the study is to is to find out the implications of the cyberspace tensions on the rules-based order and try to assess the root causes of the warfare and what can be the way forward to deal with the issue on hand which is relatively new and the both the states are not willing to compromise on their stance when it comes to cyberspace as this domain is relatively significant in determining the next big solo super power. The research delves into the questions by reviewing the content specific to the cyberspace and US China strategic tensions and the research also includes testimonies of the experts on cybersecurity and great power politics. The study adopts a qualitative methodology, utilizing the constructivist theory as a framework for analysis. The findings involve that the competition between the United States and China in cyberspace is characterized by its multifaceted and ever-changing nature. Both countries are engaged in a constant pursuit of dominance over the cyberspace, utilizing a combination of legitimate and illegitimate strategies to achieve their goals. Both the United states and the Chinese are trying to outmaneuver each other in the cyberspace domain and this leads to the infringement on the rules-based order from the both sides.