Barbarians at the Digital Gate
Its cyberattacks show the world the nature of the Chinese regime.
The Dragon Also Swims in Cyber Space 
Believe it or not we didn't write that headline it comes from Yesterday's Wall Street Journal. As much as we castigate the American news media as an "infotainment system", as much as we are annoyed with their lack of coverage of important maritime developments that may affect war and peace, we have to admit that we don't do windows. We don't monitor much of the non maritime world but usually root through the American general media as fast as we can so we can see what they are not covering that we know we are going to find in our foreign sources and maritime trades.
We were stopped cold in our tracks by this headline in the mainstream Wall Street Journal Yesterday. We operate in and exist in cyber space. We don't attack computers and we require that ours not be attacked. We respect cyber space as part of the "commons" like the atmosphere, the electromagnetic spectrum and the oceans outside of the territorial seas. We know all about pirates and rovers in the material world. We are aware that they exist in cyber space but we hadn't thought of it in the way it was expressed in one Internet link to the Wall Street Journal article:
"There are only two types of American companies, those that have been hacked by the Chinese and those don't know they have been hacked".
We fall into that second category. Thankfully so far being "hacked" hasn't involved being given a virus or malware. In fact we'd like to tell our Chinese cyber spies as well as all legitimate Chinese visitors "Come on in, its all here to read for free. We are here to inform and offer analysis and opinion. You may not agree with us much but you are welcome to read, form your own opinion, seek out opposing opinions, and even send us comments. We don't use our real names because we fear our government just as much as you ought to fear yours but we tell the truth about maritime matters as we see them and we are experts. Don't feel obligated to use your real name. All we ask of our visitors from anywhere is that you respect the commons of cyber space and don't leave viruses and malware about. If you like us tell others, if you don't like us tell others. But don't block other people's portals into cyber space by attacking computers that is universally regarded as rude, impolite and illegal. As heirs of the old Middle Kingdom you should behave better than that. But as we observe at sea you have no respect for the sea commons and now the Wall Street Journal tells us you are also thug like in Cyber space.
If you don't want the world to regard you as a "Thug State" stop acting like one. Listen Thugo you have competition, think India. If I'm a consumer in the United States , Mexico, Japan, Europe, really anywhere why would I want to get my next T shirt or camera from you when you are trying to steal the watery regions of your neighbors and hacking my computer? If you don't want a reputation as a thug state don't act like a thug. If anyone from the Middle Kingdom would like to explain China's arguments based on international law for your claim to the "first Island Chain", just use the comment section at end of any blog about China. We will publish your comment without editing.
Below is a link to the Wall Street Journal Article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323701904578275920521747756.html
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