Comprehensively promote the rule of law to protect the construction of a network power.

In order to thoroughly study, publicize and implement General Secretary Supreme Leader’s important thoughts on cyber power, implement the important instructions of General Secretary Supreme Leader on cyber security and informatization and the spirit of the national conference on cyber security and informatization, and consolidate and deepen the achievements of thematic education, on September 14th, the Central Network Information Office held a seminar on studying, publicizing and implementing General Secretary Supreme Leader’s important thoughts and theories on cyber power. Taking "An Introduction to the Important Thoughts of the Supreme Leader General Secretary on the Network Power" as an authoritative reading, we will exchange learning experiences, deepen theoretical discussions, promote the implementation of learning and publicity, and provide spiritual motivation and theoretical support for promoting the construction of a network power and creating a new situation of high-quality development of the network information industry.

Internet is an important achievement of the development of human civilization, and the rule of law is the basic way of Internet governance. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the General Secretary of the Supreme Leader has attached great importance to the work of network rule by law, emphasizing the need to adhere to the rule of law, run the network according to law, and surf the Internet according to law, so that the Internet can operate healthily on the track of rule by law. In March, 2023, the State Council Press Office issued a white paper entitled "China’s Network Rule of Law Construction in the New Era". In July 2023, the book "An Introduction to the Important Thoughts of the Supreme Leader General Secretary on Network Power" organized by the Office of the Central Cyber Security and Informatization Committee was distributed nationwide. It can be seen that it is of great significance for us to promote the construction of a network power by governing the network according to law and making the network run orderly and healthily on the track of rule of law.

Deeply understand the important connotation and significance of the important thought of the Supreme Leader General Secretary about the network power.

The General Secretary of the Supreme Leader put forward a series of strategic, forward-looking and creative views on how to build a network power, and profoundly expounded the basic issues such as the goal, vision, overall layout and development direction of developing the Internet in the new era, including the concept of governing the Internet according to law, the concept of network sovereignty and the concept of network governance.

The concept of governing the internet according to law emphasizes that cyberspace, like the real society, should strengthen the legislation in the field of the internet and improve the laws and regulations on the management of the network society. "Cyberspace is the same as the real society", and it is necessary to advocate freedom and maintain order. To govern the Internet according to law, it is necessary to guide online public opinion with socialist core values, to strengthen content supervision, to create a good network ecology, and to condense the lasting power of building Socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The concept of cyber sovereignty is becoming more and more important under the background of great power game in the new era, especially under the current situation that western powers regard cyberspace as an ideological breakthrough. Ideology has become one of the important factors of national political security. With the development of technology, the Internet platform will inevitably become an important place for ideological and public opinion confrontation among countries. How to master the dominance of network ideology and win the battle of network ideology is a particularly noteworthy issue in recent years. National sovereignty is inviolable, and network sovereignty is the realistic requirement of national network governance model, so we should earnestly respect the network sovereignty of all countries and safeguard national security.

The concept of network governance is an important content and means to realize the modernization of national governance system and governance capacity. Based on the experience and development of domestic social governance, the concept of network governance promotes the reform of the global Internet governance system, caters to the wisdom of China and the experience of China that China has contributed to the network governance of all countries in the world, and takes respect as the premise and win-win as the goal.

The important thought of the Supreme Leader’s General Secretary about the network power is the latest achievement of Marxism in China, the successful combination of Marx’s basic principles and Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s construction, and an important part of the Supreme Leader’s Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought in the new era. The important thought of the Supreme Leader General Secretary about the network power applies the development and standardization of cyberspace to the governance framework of our country reasonably. At the same time, in the process of improving the governance of domestic cyberspace, the important thought of the Supreme Leader General Secretary about the network power tries to apply China wisdom to the cooperation and governance of the world cyberspace, which provides a Chinese scheme and feasible path for promoting global Internet governance.

Generate, the supreme leader’s general secretary’s important thought about the network power, has gained great energy.First, it embodies the people-centered concept.In recent years, the "Broadband China" strategy, the "internet plus" plan and the national big data strategy have promoted the integration of the Internet and the real economy, and promoted the rapid upgrading of traditional industries. The influence of Chinese Internet companies such as Alibaba, Tencent and Huawei has risen rapidly, and their business scope and service quality have also improved significantly. Network technology has been integrated into people’s lives at a faster and deeper speed, and is gradually realizing "providing useful, affordable and well-used information services for the people", and taking improving people’s well-being as the starting point and foothold of the development of network technology in China.

Second, the initial intention of actively participating in international cooperation has been realized.Today, countries have basically the same vision and direction for the development of digital economy and cyberspace. Therefore, it is of great significance to deepen the international cooperation and exchange of network governance, with common progress as the driving force and win-win as the goal. Only by mutual respect and trust can we advance together; Only by increasing communication and exchange can we achieve a win-win situation.

Third, it has achieved an important guarantee for national security.In recent years, cyberspace has been called "the battlefield without smoke" in the game among countries. Compared with traditional armament weapons, the lethality and destructive power of cyber weapons have been greatly enhanced. The cultivation and practice of ideology and values determine the stability and security of the country. Therefore, we must focus on network governance and firmly control the network position.

Governing the Internet according to law, running the Internet according to law and surfing the Internet according to law will promote the new journey of social governance in cyberspace.

(A) the new idea of governing the Internet according to law

The so-called governance of cyberspace according to law refers to the extension of social governance to cyberspace according to law, the establishment and improvement of a comprehensive network governance system, the strengthening of pipe networks according to law, the establishment of networks according to law and the access to the Internet according to law, and the comprehensive promotion of the legalization of cyberspace. According to the "Implementation Outline of Building a Society under the Rule of Law (2020-2025)", the governance of cyberspace according to law is mainly reflected in the improvement of the legal system, the cultivation of the awareness of the rule of law and the protection of the legal rights and interests of the network.

Improve the legal system and lay the foundation of the rule of law."Cyberspace is not a place outside the law", and the rule of law is the basic way of Internet governance. It has become a global consensus to use the concept of rule of law, rule of law thinking and rule of law means to promote Internet governance according to law. At this stage, China has basically formed a network legal system based on the Constitution, laws, administrative regulations, departmental rules and local regulations, traditional legislation, and special legislation such as network construction and management, network security and informatization, etc. Nevertheless, in the face of the products of the new era, on the road of ruling the Internet according to law, we should still adhere to scientific and democratic legislation, improve the relevant legal system of cyberspace, establish and improve the network security review and management system, make the network security legal system better serve the people, and lay the legal foundation for social governance in the Internet era.

Cultivate the awareness of the rule of law, and adhere to the rule of virtue.Cyberspace is virtual, but it is realistic to use the main body of cyberspace. In the process of network activities, we should clarify our rights and obligations, enhance our legal reserves, and operate legally under the guidance of socialist core values and the main theme of the times. At the same time, strictly regulate the promotion of online media literacy to the awareness of the rule of law, strengthen the institutionalization of online integrity, and strengthen the guidance to the people and related subjects.

Safeguard legal rights and interests and achieve a win-win situation for all parties.Prevent network security risks according to law and strengthen the protection of legal rights and interests of all subjects in network activities. At a time when telecom fraud, cyber financial crimes, cyber libel and other acts are frequent, perfecting the information sharing mechanism, vigorously propagating anti-fraud ideas, and strengthening the punishment of related illegal and criminal acts are the implementation and promotion of governing the internet according to law, and also the further realization of comprehensively governing the country according to law.

(2) A new journey of social governance

Promoting the rule of law and building a network power is an important driving force for economic development, a source of people’s happy life, an important guarantee for national security and an important way for international cooperation.

Explore in real opportunities.With the development of human society rolling forward, the Internet has already become a brand-new carrier of information dissemination, and cyberspace has already formed a new world of human life. As a network power, we seize the importance of network governance in the opportunity, and gradually systematize and theorize.

Explore in the process of practice.The formation of any thought is inseparable from practice. From the professional information team to the leading group of network security and informatization, China has never slackened off on network governance, and the new ideas from the traditional social governance model to Internet governance have been enriched by bit by bit practical experience.

It is a brand-new task of the new era and a brand-new journey of social governance to implement the important thought of the Supreme Leader General Secretary on strengthening the country by network under the background of the strategy of comprehensively governing the country according to law. Only by creatively applying the existing social governance experience to the governance of cyberspace can the energy contained in Internet technology be maximized. (Author: Li Dan, Associate Professor, School of Law, Institute of International Relations)