The China Model Is Dead | Can Poland Roll Back Authoritarian Populism? | International Criminal Court Will Now Prosecute Cyberwar Crimes, and more
Following suit, Law and Justice has eroded the independence of the country’s judicial system. First, the party forced several sitting justices on the Supreme Court into retirement, replacing them with loyalists who then commanded a majority (an EU court later found the government’s new retirement rule unlawful). It also increased government officials’ ability to determine which judge would hear what case. Finally, it packed a reformed Constitutional Tribunal, the body charged with judicial review in Poland, with political appointees who have the power to suspend judges who displease the government.
The China Model Is Dead (Michael Schuman, The Atlantic)
China’s jobless college graduates have become an embarrassment to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The unemployment rate among the country’s youth has reached an all-time high, putting the country’s severe economic troubles on display at home and abroad. In August, Xi’s administration decided to act: Its statistics bureau stopped releasing the data.
But Xi can’t hide China’s economic woes—or hide from them. The problems are not just a post-pandemic malaise, or some soon-to-be-forgotten detour in China’s march to superpower stature. The vaunted China model—the mix of liberalization and state control that generated the country’s hypersonic growth—has entered its death throes.
The news should not come as a surprise. Economists and even Chinese policy makers have warned for years that the China model was fundamentally flawed and would inevitably break down. But Xi was too consumed with shoring up his own power to undertake the necessary reforms to fix it. Now the problems run so deep, and the repairs would be so costly, that the time for a turnaround may have passed.
Contrary to the assumptions of many commentators in recent years, China may never overtake the United States as the world’s dominant economy if current trends continue. In fact, it’s already falling behind.
A downward trajectory in China does not necessarily ensure the future of American global power, however. China may turn out to be a less formidable competitor than once imagined and offer a less attractive model of development for the rest of the world. But economic failure could also heighten Xi’s determination to overcome American dominance—if not by becoming richer, then through other, possibly more destabilizing means.
The International Criminal Court Will Now Prosecute Cyberwar Crimes (Andy Greenberg, Wired)
For years, some cybersecurity defenders and advocates have called for a kind of Geneva Convention for cyberwar, new international laws that would create clear consequences for anyone hacking civilian critical infrastructure, like power grids, banks, and hospitals. Now the lead prosecutor of the International Criminal Court at the Hague has made it clear that he intends to enforce those consequences—no new Geneva Convention required. Instead, he has explicitly stated for the first time that the Hague will investigate and prosecute any hacking crimes that violate existing international law, just as it does for war crimes committed in the physical world.
In a little-noticed article released last month in the quarterly publication Foreign Policy Analytics, the International Criminal Court’s lead prosecutor, Karim Khan, spelled out that new commitment: His office will investigate cybercrimes that potentially violate the Rome Statute, the treaty that defines the court’s authority to prosecute illegal acts, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
“Cyber warfare does not play out in the abstract. Rather, it can have a profound impact on people’s lives,” Khan writes. “Attempts to impact critical infrastructure such as medical facilities or control systems for power generation may result in immediate consequences for many, particularly the most vulnerable. Consequently, as part of its investigations, my Office will collect and review evidence of such conduct.”
ROK-U.S. AI Cooperation Needs Real Reciprocity (Sanghyun Han, National Interest)
Since they share democratic values, Seoul and Washington must explore collaborative avenues that amplify individual efforts and promote the broader welfare. Diffuse reciprocity emerges as a promising framework to shape the future trajectory of AI and emerging technology collaboration between Seoul and Washington.
Both nations possess the capacity to complement areas where the other may exhibit vulnerabilities or require further advancement. According to OECD.AI data, the United States has an extensive research and development infrastructure, marked by its wide-ranging international research collaboration and significant investments from the public and private sectors. This fusion of academic and industrial strength positions the United States as a formidable leader in technological innovation. On the other hand, South Korea exhibits a resilient AI workforce and the potential to cultivate a conducive research environment, highlighted by its transformation into a hub for AI talent inflow. As such, the convergence of South Korea’s skilled workforce and America’s robust research infrastructure promises synergistic outcomes.
In fostering research networks and nurturing cooperative relationships with other nations, Seoul and Washington find common ground with key partners, including Canada, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and France. These shared allies not only prioritize democratic values in their foreign policies but also exhibit a strong commitment to scientific advancement. Leveraging this shared foundation, the diffusion of cooperative efforts between Seoul and Washington can potentially radiate benefits across these interconnected networks.
