Chinese envoy urges balance between technology development and security

A Chinese envoy on Monday said that science and technology is a double-edged sword, calling for balance between development and security while encouraging innovation and managing risks, so that "the development of science and technology can truly benefit all countries and peoples."

While technological development empowers all sectors and provides great convenience and opportunities to humanity, it also brings new challenges to international peace and security, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at the UN Security Council Briefing on Anticipating the Impact of Scientific Developments on International Peace and Security.

"The misuse of deepfake technology fuels the spread of disinformation, triggering social tensions and tearing communities apart," he said. Frequent cyber attacks and cyber espionage incidents have undermined the security and public interests of many countries, he said, pointing out that the recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon revealed the unimaginable disruption in civilian casualties caused by AI-driven algorithms and remote manipulation. 

Noting that some countries have generalized the concept of national security and, on the grounds of risk prevention, have suppressed high-tech enterprises in other countries without any bottom line, Fu said that these countries have advocated the so-called "decoupling and breaking chains," set up obstacles to normal economic and trade exchanges and scientific and technological exchanges between countries, and meticulously organized all kinds of  "small circles" to exclude specific countries and construct the so-called "small yard and high wall."

The real intention of these practices is to solidify their own technological monopoly and impede the development of other countries, the essence of which is "Cold War mentality and zero-sum game logic at play," he said.

These man-made divisions, compared to the risks posed by technology itself, will be more detrimental to international peace and security, and may ultimately plunge the world into the abyss of confrontation, Fu said.