Technology

Two-Pager: Evaluating Data Security in Chinese Drones and Smart Vehicles

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Disclaimer: This two-pager has been prepared by the CKN Secretariat and should not be considered the work of the individuals listed as authors of the report.

 

Key Takeaways: 

  • China increasingly treats data as both a strategic economic resource and a national security issue through an evolving system of data governance laws and regulations.
  • The PIPL creates limited risks for European users abroad, while the Data Security Law remains more ambiguous regarding possible government access to data.
  • Chinese smart vehicles and drones generally comply with international and EU cybersecurity standards and incorporate many privacy-protecting features.
  • Independent audits of Chinese EVs and drones have identified ordinary engineering and cybersecurity vulnerabilities rather than evidence of systematic espionage backdoors.
  • The report concludes that current evidence does not justify blanket restrictions on Chinese smart vehicles or drones purely on the basis of nationality.

China Knowledge Network

The Dutch China Knowledge Network (CKN) is a network established to involve China experts and disseminate knowledge within the government of the Netherlands and beyond.Our key task is to connect various angles of research and events to better understand China’s motives, policies and vision to develop more effective policies and better advise social partners. The secretariat of the knowledge network has been assigned to think tank Clingendael together with LeidenAsiaCentre. They will function primarily as ‘knowledge brokers’, matching the supply and demand of knowledge.

 

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