International Studies Conference in Hong Kong

Francis Domingo reports on the International Studies Conference he attended in Hong Kong with support from the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies.

From 15 to 17 June 2017, I visited Hong Kong to present a paper at the annual International Studies Conference Asia-Pacific. The Conference took place at the University of Hong Kong and was well attended with 200 panels and almost 1,000 participants. Aside from attending panels on Russia, China, and military innovation, I had the chance to exchange ideas with other participants regarding the status of cybersecurity research in the Asia-Pacific as well as the utility of existing theoretical frameworks for this type of research.

I presented my conference paper, “Cyber Capabilities as Favoured Instruments in the Pacific Century” on 17 June 2017 (available from the ISA website). The paper, which is an offshoot of my PhD thesis, argued that given the geopolitical environment in the Asia-Pacific Region, cyber operations are favourable foreign policy instruments because these capabilities are nonphysical, stealthy, and functional. Furthermore, I also put forward three policy implications during my presentation:

1. Cyber conflict between states will be come a fundamental feature in international relations because information and communications technologies are essential in every aspect of state interaction.
2. States must adjust their national security and military strategies to incorporate cyber capabilities because the “digital divide” or the gap in access to or use of ICT devices has placed states with underdeveloped capabilities in a weak position in cyberspace.
3. A “cyber arms race” or a competition to develop cyber weapons is unlikely in the Asia-Pacific because powerful states have few incentives for revealing the scope and range of their cyber capabilities and there is no reason for other states to “race” towards developing cyber capabilities.

Speaking in a panel on Conflict and Cybersecurity provided the opportunity to gather useful feedback from the panelists and other participants in the audience. While most comments focused on general clarifications about my research, comments by the discussant were certainly helpful in strengthening the paper and more importantly my PhD thesis.