[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E541-E542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DIGITAL AUTHORITARIANISM AND THE GLOBAL THREAT TO FREE SPEECH

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2018

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today we held a hearing on 
China's digital authoritarianism. China has the world's largest number 
of internet users as well as the world's most sophisticated and 
aggressive internet censorship and control regime. The Chinese 
government, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, views digital controls 
as necessary for its political stability and control of core digital 
technologies as necessary for its economic future.
   The Chinese government spends $10 billion on maintaining and 
improving their censorship apparatus. The U.S. government has an annual 
internet freedom budget of $55 million and Congress still has little 
idea how this money is spent.
   Over the past year or so, Chinese companies were ordered to close 
websites that hosted discussions on the military, history, and 
international affairs and crack down on ``illegal'' VPNs (in response, 
Apple was forced to remove VPNs from the China App store). New 
regulations were announced restricting anonymity online and the Chinese 
government rolled out impressive new censorship technologies, censoring 
photos in one-to-one WeChat discussions and disrupting WhatsApp.
   Beijing has also deployed facial and voice recognition, artificial 
intelligence, and other surveillance technologies throughout the 
country, but particularly targeting the Uyghur ethnic minority, where 
between 500,000 to 1 million Uyghurs have been detained arbitrarily.
   The Chinese government and Communist Party's attempts to enforce and 
export a digital authoritarianism poses a direct threat to Chinese 
rights defenders and ethnic minorities and poses a direct challenge to 
the interests of the U.S. and the international community.
   The U.S. must recognize that we are engaged in a battle of ideas 
with a revitalized authoritarianism--online, in the marketplace, and 
elsewhere--and we need up our ``competitive game'' to meet the 
challenge.
   The Administration's National Security Strategy says quite clearly 
that the Chinese government and Communist Party (along with Russia) 
seek to ``challenge American power, influence, and interests, 
attempting to erode American security and prosperity. They are 
determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their 
militaries, and to control information and data to repress their 
societies and expand their influence.''
   [The Chinese government and Communist Party] is using economic 
inducements and penalties, influence operations, and implied military 
threats to persuade other states to heed its political and security 
agenda. . . China gathers and exploits data on an unrivaled scale and 
spreads features of its authoritarian system, including corruption and 
the use of surveillance.''
   The Chinese government and Communist Party want to shape a world 
antithetical to U.S. values and interests and to export its economic, 
political, and censorship models globally.
   In response, the U.S. and like-minded allies must stand resolutely 
for the freedom of religion, fairer and freer trade, labor rights, 
freedom of navigation, the rule of law and the freedom of expression--
including online.
   A coherent and engaged internet freedom strategy must be a critical 
part of the U.S. diplomatic toolbox. This strategy should have at its 
core a commitment to protect fundamental freedoms, privacy, and promote 
the free flow of news and information.
   But it is not a matter of just having a strategy; it should be the 
right one. The Bush and Obama Administrations pursued cyber diplomacy; 
yet internet freedom has declined

[[Page E542]]

around the world, privacy is increasingly under threat, and the free 
flow of information has become more endangered.
   The right strategy must start with some humility. Cyberspace is a 
place to spread democratic ideals and a place where criminals, 
extremists, corporations, traffickers, and governments exploit 
vulnerabilities with impunity. Online communication can convey are 
highest ideals and our worst fears. It can shine a light on repression 
and be the source of hatred, manipulation, fake news, coercion, and 
conflict. It can bring people together or push us apart.
   Despite all this, I agree with the NSS's conclusions which says, 
``The Internet is an American invention, and it should reflect our 
values as it continues to transform the future for all nations and all 
generations. A strong, defensible cyber infrastructure fosters economic 
growth, protects our liberties, and advances our national security.''
   Central to a revitalized U.S. internet freedom strategy should be a 
priority to open gaping holes in China's Great Firewall.
   Right now, I'm just not confident that this is the policy of the 
Broadcasting Board of Governors or the State Department right now.
   I think there are certain goals we should prioritize in our internet 
freedom strategy regarding China.
   First, China's netizens require easy, reliable and free access to 
uncensored information through anti-censorship technologies, so that 
anybody can freely access information regardless of their technical 
ability. Reliable solutions should work all the time, regardless of 
intensified crackdowns or major events (Party Congress, June 4th 
anniversary) taking place in-country.
   Second, solutions should also present difficult choices for the 
Chinese authorities--if the authorities want to disrupt these 
solutions, then they must disrupt many online services which they would 
normally be hesitant and unlikely to block.
   Third, Access to solutions should also come at no cost for Chinese 
netizens, the Chinese authorities often block access to payment 
providers so even if Chinese can afford a circumvention solution, they 
cannot get past censorship by their payment provider.
   Fourth, holistic anti-censorship solutions should be encouraged, 
including not just technical circumvention but also distribution of 
those tools (getting around Google Play being blocked, and censorship 
in the Apple App Store) and well as helping users share anti-censorship 
tools, as well as content, through messaging apps, social networks and 
QR codes.
   These are just a few starting principles. I am open to a 
conversation about these goals with experts and allies. But given the 
stakes and possible outcomes, moving quickly to fund and distribute 
anti-censorship technologies should be a priority.
   The future of our grandchildren--in the U.S. and China alike--may 
very well depend on open, interoperable communications online, with 
minimal barriers to the global exchange of information, data, ideas, 
and services.

                          ____________________