Strategic intelligence analysis has also been adopted in the improvement of national security in China. In 2022, more than 200 billion yuan will be invested in counter-espionage and big data surveillance. Integrating AI into satellite technology, China can process tens of thousands of data points per second and conduct real-time monitoring with precision early warning of threats.
Intelligence in Economic Security
A lot of resources are channeled into economic security, using strategic intelligence analysis to guard against risks and competitiveness. In 2022, China invested more than 50 billion yuan in big data analytics, focusing on intelligence gathering in the manufacturing, financial, and technology industries. **Such heavy investment in data has yielded increasingly precise decision-making in economic activities and responses by policies.
In terms of technology, chip manufacturing and 5G technology are new areas in which China is working to increase prosperity by becoming less dependent on foreign supplies. Reports indicated national funding for chip research and development grew by more than 30% on average per year for three consecutive years, with companies like Yangtze Memory Technologies developing the technology at high speed. It can now produce the 7nm process chip to significantly raise China’s self-sufficiency rate in securing key technologies amid Sino-U.S. pressures. Technology competition and reduced economic risks due to supply chain disruption.
In foreign investment and resource assurance, China also uses intelligence analysis in the strategic positioning of resources and energy cooperation along the Belt and Road Initiative. Data illustrate that the total amount China invested in countries under the BRI has surpassed US$140 billion, securing vital supplies of oil, natural gas, minerals, and other major resources. Advanced intelligence systems have equipped China to be more prospective in financial market risk forecasting. Algorithmic analysis of the global economic trends at the national financial information platform has forecasted the fluctuations in the RMB exchange rate and reduced the foreign exchange reserve volatility.
Public Opinion Monitoring and Intelligence Systems
China has pumped substantial resources into public opinion monitoring, using strategic intelligence systems in order to heighten national security. The nation deployed thousands of monitoring platforms over the years to monitor the trends of online public opinion across the board in real-time. Major internet companies also join the work in public opinion monitoring, which helps the government to enhance its capability for response to emergencies. For example, Tencent’s “Penguin Think Tank” not only grasps real-time information but also analyzes and predicts social hot points via AI algorithm practices, thereby providing reference points for government decisions.
In the field of technology, it is indicated that “China’s public opinion monitoring systems have gradually realized intelligence and automation.” By applying the NLP technology with machine learning algorithms, those existing systems can spot possible public opinion risk points quickly and then give warnings in real-time. The improved third-generation AI intelligence systems used domestically are three times faster than the original ones; therefore, hundreds of texts and images can be analyzed per second.
Internationally, China works to counter the influence of foreign public opinion through its active monitoring systems. In 2021, Chinese media agencies continued to strengthen monitoring of overseas social platforms, especially sensitive topics about China. Publicly available data shows that over 3 billion pieces of data entries from platforms like Weibo and WeChat flow into intelligence systems on a monthly basis, out of which 10% of all the content is selected for key monitoring and analysis so as to ensure China’s influence on overseas topics.
Counter-espionage and Internal and External Security
China’s counter-espionage system is far-reaching, with great stress on the accurate processing of internal and external dangers. Since the implementation of the Counter-Espionage Law in 2014, China has put tremendous effort into combating espionage. In 2022, the budget for domestic security alone had reached over 200 billion yuan, including personnel training fees and upgrading the technological equipment costs, among many other costs. Accordingly, China continues to work at improving its techniques of intelligence gathering and analysis, while AI and big data technologies have dramatically increased the speed and efficiency of anti-spying in recent years. Accordingly, the intelligent system analyzes thousands of data points in seconds based on monitoring of network behavior and facial recognition and will quickly identify potential risk people.
Other than high-tech measures, multi-level social education is included in the counter-espionage effort. In 2021, the National Security Agency organized a “National Security Education Day” nationwide, covering more than 100 million people to promote counter-espionage awareness in society. Such extensive educational coverage allows counter-espionage to break through the technical defense and extends into societal prevention, fostering a public atmosphere of anti-espionage and trying to reduce the possibility of espionage infiltration as much as possible. Key confidentiality systems in internal security management have already been put into effect among major institutions and enterprises. For example, China’s military-industrial enterprises and research institutions alone have already founded rigid information classification and encrypted transmission measures.
China has further enhanced international cooperation in intelligence sharing in response to international espionage activities. In recent years, concerted with the advancing of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has attained essential accumulations in intelligence cooperation with neighboring countries, especially in combating cross-border espionage activities. In 2022, China signed cooperation agreements on counter-espionage with several countries in Central Asia and Southeast Asia. Through intelligence sharing, strikes by joint efforts have increased the detection rate of transnational espionage activities by over 50 percent, thus effectively protecting regional security and stability.
Intelligence Support in Information Warfare
In modern information warfare, tremendous resources were invested by China in intelligence support to ensure efficiency in decision-making and information security at critical moments. In 2022, the budget for information warfare intelligence reached 80 billion yuan in China, covering cybersecurity, data analysis, satellite intelligence, and all vital aspects.
China’s intelligence system, by utilizing powerful data collection capabilities combined with complex machine learning algorithms, is able to analyze big data at lightning speed and predict most of the forthcoming threats. In the process, while using the natural language processing technology, 5,000 social media messages are processed by the system per second in order to quickly identify public opinion trends and provide real-time support for decision-makers.
Through intelligence support in information warfare, China also actively enhances its cyber defense capabilities. Indeed, after the enforcement of the Cybersecurity Law in 2019, China’s cybersecurity framework has considerably improved in combating cyber attacks and espionage. The support system in the intelligence of China is operational and regularly tested for reliability through military drills and exercises. The giant military exercises, such as “Joint Exercises” and “Joint Strike” organized every year, depend on the intelligence support system.
Real-World Applications of Big Data Intelligence
Big data intelligence applications in national security have stepped into the real operational stage in the real world. Big data integrates massive information flows and enhances the effectiveness of emergency handling and external threat control. Real-time analysis of social media and real-time monitoring of data are crucial during the actual application of big data intelligence. By integrating open data from Weibo, WeChat, and other platforms, abnormal changes in public opinion can be found in a very short time. This indicates an increase of over 300% in speed compared to traditional means and ensures the timely control of public opinion when sensitive situations arise.
Big data intelligent systems adopt multidimensional data sources and intelligent algorithms to obtain real-time intelligence from satellites, drones, and land sensors. The precision of key area coverage is particularly emphasized for critical economic and military areas. This highly efficient capacity in data integration and processing enables intelligence agencies to understand regional developments with one glimpse and deploy necessary preventive measures in advance. In 2020, big data intelligence systems played an important role in uncovering a major terrorist organization case in Xinjiang.
Apart from counter-terrorism, big data also plays a very important role in border control. China’s real-time border data monitoring system enables the monitoring of illegal entry and crossing activities. Integrating facial recognition and behavior analysis technology, this system can identify suspicious individuals in just a matter of seconds. International recognition has also been extended to big data intelligence operations. In recent years, big data intelligence cooperation between China and neighboring countries like Kazakhstan and Russia has promoted an information-sharing mechanism through shared data and joint analysis. It is a collaboration of intelligence between nations and international entities that not only builds regional security but strengthens the general capability of intelligence systems.