BEIJING: China announced the creation of a new military cyber corps on Friday, saying it would bolster Beijing’s capacity to “fight and win” wars.

The Information Support Force will act as a “key support for coordinated development and application of network information systems”, defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said.

China has ploughed billions of dollars into modernising its armed forces in recent years as tensions with the United States and other regional powers have escalated.

President Xi Jinping has also sought to bring the military more firmly under his control.

The new cyber force represents “a strategic step to establish a new system of services and arms and improve (China’s) modern military force structure”, Wu said.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2024