Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission

Summary

The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission is a policy formulation and implementation body set up under the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party for the purpose of managing internet-related issues. This is believed to include the expansion of online services, internet security concerns, as well as broad jurisdiction over policies on internet censorship.

Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
中央网络安全和信息化委员会
AbbreviationZhongyang Wangxin Wei
(中央网信委)
FormationFebruary 2014
TypeSupra-ministerial policy coordination and consultation body
Legal statusActive
HeadquartersBeijing
Leader
Cai Qi
Chief of General Office
Zhuang Rongwen
Parent organization
Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
SubsidiariesOffice of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission (with the external brand name Cyberspace Administration of China)
Websitewww.cac.gov.cn Edit this at Wikidata
Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Simplified Chinese中央网络安全和信息化委员会

The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission runs the Public Opinion Information Center, which coordinates with state media outlets on censorship.[1] The commission's executive arm is the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, which has the external name of the Cyberspace Administration of China under the "one institution with two names" system.[2][3]

History edit

The commission was originally established as the Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization (Chinese: 中央网络安全和信息化领导小组; pinyin: Zhōngyāng Wǎngluò Ānquán Hé Xìnxī Huà Lǐngdǎo Xiǎozǔ), also called the Cyberspace Affairs Leading Group. The decision to establish the group was announced at the 3rd Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee in November 2013, but did not hold its first full meeting until February 2014.[4] The Leading Group was not a wholly new created entity, since it was primarily a reconstitution of the Leading Group for National Informatization, with a similar membership composition.[5]

In March 2018, the leading group was transformed into a commission, called the Central Cybersecurity and Informatization Commission, also called the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission (CCAC).[6] According to the South China Morning Post, Cai Qi succeeded Xi as the head of the commission in early 2023.[7]

Membership edit

19th Committee edit

20th Committee edit

References edit

  1. ^ Fedasiuk, Ryan (January 12, 2021). "Buying Silence: The Price of Internet Censorship in China". Jamestown Foundation. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  2. ^ Cyberspace Administration of China launches official website Archived 2020-03-11 at the Wayback Machine, English.gov.cn, 31 Dec 2014
  3. ^ Web of Laws: How China's new Cyberspace Administration is securing its grip on the internet Archived 2019-06-20 at Archive-It, HKFP, by David Bandurski, 7 May 2017
  4. ^ "中央网络安全和信息化领导小组成立". Xinhua. February 28, 2014. Archived from the original on July 12, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  5. ^ Godement, Francois (July 2015). "Special issue: Governing the Web" (PDF). European Council on Foreign Relations. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  6. ^ "CPC releases plan on deepening reform of Party and state institutions". People's Daily. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  7. ^ Zheng, William (28 March 2024). "Xi Jinping's chief of staff is China's new internet tsar, sources say". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 28 March 2024.