Controversy Over WLAN Standard Deepens: Chinese Standard Could Fracture the Global Market

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,113824,tk,dn121003X,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article...n121003X,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"Licensing requirements at the heart of a Chinese standard for wireless LANs threaten to disrupt the ability of networking equipment vendors to do business in China, according to a U.S. technology trade group. The requirement deepens a controversy over the recently-implemented Chinese WLAN standard that could undermine efforts to create a global standard for wireless networks. The Chinese WLAN standard, called GB15629.11-2003, is very similar to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' 802.11 standard, commonly known as Wireless Fidelity or Wi-Fi, but it uses a different security protocol, called WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI)."<br /><br />China has been making some very aggressive moves lately in the technology market as they try to move from being a manufacturing centre to being a development centre where technology is born, not just built. I've read several articles that talk about China's desire to become like Japan was in the '80s and '90's - the question is, has the world learnt anything since then, and will China succeed?

[SandersP]

So, everything is the same except the security protocols eh?

hmmm.... It couldn't possibly be to listen in could it?

[Brad Adrian]

I have to wonder if they'll be successful. China wants desperately to "join the rest of the world" and it may be that they accept the existing standards used by the rest of the world.

[Jason Dunn]

hmmm.... It couldn't possibly be to listen in could it?

I've read that the government will indeed have the key to the "back door" on this protocol.

[SandersP]

I have to wonder if they'll be successful. China wants desperately to "join the rest of the world" and it may be that they accept the existing standards used by the rest of the world.

They don't need the rest of the world to support their market, they can afford to be a lone market. They are already second biggest PC market in the world, and projected to be number one within a decade. That's the problem.

I guess having 1/6 of the planetary population does have its advantage.

[jeffmd]

if its just a security thing, then im sure the only thing that needs to change is the software (in this case, the firmware). a little bit more in development cost for anyone who wants to market in china.

How ever if they are looking to develop new technologies for others to use, this is not it, this is not how to go about it. and if there is a back door in the design? pssh.. I give it 5 minutes for a hacker to find and then security for all of china will be out the window. it will be one mass open network. and china will be the laughing stock....again...

[lagunita]

This is one of the problems with a country that has an ax to grind.

For years, the Chinese government has chafed at being treated
like pariahs or second-class world citizens. Like a wimp who has
bulked himself up by weight training, it is now trying to assert
itself as an equal in this world. However, they're going about things
the wrong way at the moment, but don't count them out in the
long term. By the way, this is just a preview of things to come, as
India will soon be the most populous country in the world, and is
the intellectual property equal of China.

A differing WiFi implementation is not China's only effort:

- If I'm not mistaken, China developed the VCD and SVCD formats,
and has announced the EVD format to avoid paying royalties to
the developers of DVD.

- China is developing its home-grown version of the CDMA cellular
standard.

- China is developing its own flavor of Linux.

Even though industry bodies develop standards, the ultimate determinant
of what dominates is the marketplace.

China already manufactures many of the electronic goods the world
uses. Once it has a huge domestic market buying boatloads of its
home-grown technology, it will be able to really
flex its muscles and impose its will on the rest of the world. At the
very least, it will require manufacturers in other countries to license
China's technology if they want to sell in China's market.