Varieties of public–private co-governance on cybersecurity within the digital trade: implications from Huawei’s 5G

Abstract

Abstract Cybersecurity is becoming an increasing hurdle for digital trade. The governance of cybersecurity in the global digital trade system is a bottom-up approach, where governments are implementing fragmental and inconsistent trade policies and forming different models of public–private co-governance. Based on network-governance theory, information security behavior theory, and international risk theory, we develop a conceptual model to investigate how various factors drive cybersecurity governance practices. Using Huawei’s 5G as an example, this study explores how different governments—the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and India—act on the cybersecurity concerns from Huawei’s 5G. The comparative analysis demonstrates how balancing different factors drive governments' actions and discuss what international corporations like Huawei can do to align their digital trade system strategies. This research guides international firms to participate in cybersecurity governance constructions within the digital trade system.