Cina, Nazioni Unite e diritto internazionale nel cyberspazio

Regulating the so-called “cyberspace” is an ongoing issue. This includes debates on the applicability of the existing body of international law to states’ behaviour in cybernetic actions. Among the most notable regulatory attempts one can pinpoint two working groups developed within the United Nations (UN): the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG). In this contest, China is one of the major and most rapidly growing actors in the global digital industry, and has actively contributed to achieving important elements of global consensus on the applicability of international law in cyberspace. Through a systematic analysis of selected institutional documents, this article observes the Chinese normative perspective within GGE and OEWG through the theoretical lenses of “norm entrepreneurship” and “sociotechnical imaginaries”. This way, this article contributes to the literature on China’s rise and its contribution to the development of international law.