Commentary
Cyber-Espionage Through IoT Standardization in Agriculture
China’s infiltration into agricultural IoT (Internet of Things) networks represents a critical yet underexplored dimension of its global technological strategy. Through key players such as Huawei and Alibaba Cloud, Beijing has embedded IoT technologies into agricultural systems in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These initiatives, often framed as development partnerships aimed at improving food production and supply chain resilience, concurrently enable the collection of extensive agricultural and environmental data with profound strategic and geopolitical implications.
Agricultural IoT systems are revolutionizing farming practices by collecting real-time, high-resolution data on variables such as soil moisture, nutrient levels, weather conditions, pest infestations, irrigation patterns, crop growth rates, and logistical movements. Chinese companies like Huawei and Alibaba are at the forefront of this technological advancement, designing platforms that support precision agriculture through the integration of advanced sensors, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to optimize farm management.
In Kenya, Huawei has actively collaborated with local partners and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization to implement smart farming solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. By deploying IoT sensors that monitor critical agricultural parameters and transmitting this data to cloud platforms where AI algorithms provide actionable insights, farmers have reportedly increased crop yields. These initiatives not only boost local agricultural productivity but also strengthen China’s presence in the region’s agricultural sector.
Similarly, in 2020, the Malaysian government entered into a strategic partnership with Alibaba Cloud to advance its Smart Agriculture Agenda, reflecting a commitment to leveraging digital technologies for agricultural transformation. For instance, in 2019, Malaysian agritech company Regaltech partnered with Alibaba Cloud to develop a smart farming platform for durian plantations. Utilizing Alibaba’s ET Agricultural Brain, an AI-powered platform that analyzes vast amounts of agricultural data, IoT devices and drones monitor crop health, optimize resource usage, and automate farming processes. These systems have shown promising results in improving yield quality and consistency while reducing labor costs due to automation.
The strategic implications of this data aggregation are profound. In Argentina—a key supplier of soybeans to China—IOT systems provide granular insights into the production of vital commodities such as soybeans and maize. In 2022, Argentina exported 4.8 million metric tons of soybeans to China, largely for use as animal feed in its burgeoning livestock industry. By analyzing longitudinal data on crop yields, climatic conditions, and supply chain dynamics, Chinese entities can gain the ability to forecast agricultural outputs, identify vulnerabilities to droughts or pest outbreaks, and strategize imports with precision. These insights not only inform economic decisions but also equip Beijing with leverage in trade negotiations with critical partners.
The geopolitical utility of such data is striking. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, IoT systems monitoring declining yields of staple crops due to drought could enable China to secure imports before market disruptions occur. In 2022, China’s agricultural machinery market was valued at over $24 billion, with significant exports to African nations incorporating IoT-enabled “smart farming” solutions underpinned by Chinese cloud infrastructure. These systems, while marketed as tools for development, create dependencies that enhance China’s influence. Data access, often governed by opaque agreements, allows Beijing to maintain strategic leverage over countries that adopt these technologies, especially in scenarios involving climate shocks or food crises.
Moreover, agricultural IoT data could be weaponized to manipulate trade dynamics. A pertinent case is Kazakhstan, where Chinese investments in agricultural infrastructure have integrated IoT systems for monitoring key crops such as wheat and soybeans. With precise yield data, Beijing can forecast shortages or surpluses, negotiate trade terms to its advantage, and adjust import strategies accordingly. Historical parallels, such as China’s imposition of tariffs on Australian barley and wine in 2020 following diplomatic tensions, underscore its willingness to leverage trade relationships for geopolitical objectives. While these actions did not involve IoT, they highlight a pattern of exploiting economic dependencies as instruments of influence.
The situation in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) provides another revealing example. China has introduced advanced irrigation systems and IoT-based crop management technologies to modernize Pakistani agriculture. Although data-sharing agreements remain unclear, the integration of IoT systems grants China a window into wheat and cotton production trends, enabling preemptive adjustments to imports or policy recommendations that align with its broader geopolitical goals. Similarly, in Laos and Cambodia, Chinese IoT technologies embedded in agricultural systems raise concerns about data sovereignty. These systems potentially allow Beijing to identify food security vulnerabilities, influencing domestic policies and reinforcing economic reliance on Chinese infrastructure.
China’s push for global IoT standardization through initiatives like China Standards 2035 is central to its ambitions in technology and data governance. By embedding proprietary IoT protocols into international frameworks, Beijing ensures that its technologies remain indispensable to global IoT networks. Huawei and ZTE are at the forefront of exporting IoT solutions, particularly to Latin America, where Huawei’s smart agriculture platforms have gained traction. The integration of Chinese-developed encryption technologies ensures compatibility with domestic platforms, consolidating China’s control over these ecosystems and enhancing its capacity to collect and process strategic data.
This influence extends to the control of information flows. Under China’s Data Security Law, companies must share data with state authorities under specific conditions, raising the potential for Beijing to access sensitive information from regions dependent on Chinese technologies. Cross-referencing IoT agricultural data with trade and infrastructure insights could yield comprehensive, multi-layered intelligence on partner nations. Although no concrete evidence has emerged to confirm systematic exploitation of IoT data, such capabilities align with China’s data-driven strategy to extend its influence globally.
The cybersecurity risks associated with agricultural IoT also warrant attention. The 2021 cyberattack on Brazil’s JBS Foods, which disrupted global supply chains for weeks, illustrates the vulnerabilities inherent in digitized agricultural systems.
If Chinese companies’ IoT networks were targeted, recovery efforts could be hindered due to Beijing’s potential control of critical data. This complicates mitigation and policy responses, showcasing how IoT technologies can be used for both development and strategic leverage.
Despite the increasing importance of agricultural IoT in China’s digital strategy, it remains a less explored topic. Analysts and policymakers often overlook areas like food security, climate vulnerability, and geopolitical stability in favor of focusing on telecommunications and AI. For example, the USDA’s 2021 report on agricultural innovation did not address the strategic risks posed by foreign-controlled IoT systems. Meanwhile, Huawei continues to expand its presence in Latin America, incorporating IoT technologies into a region crucial for global agricultural exports.
In addition to cyber-espionage in agriculture, China has made significant advancements in biometric surveillance and behavioral data exploitation. This represents a key component of its global digital strategy, blending technological innovation with broader geopolitical ambitions. State-backed companies like Hikvision and Dahua, along with AI leaders such as SenseTime and Megvii, have developed technologies that go beyond traditional facial recognition, including gait recognition, voiceprint identification, and emotion detection systems.
Chinese firms have exported biometric surveillance systems to over 80 countries, with projects like the Safe City initiative in Kenya and surveillance infrastructure in Lahore, Pakistan, showcasing Chinese involvement. These projects often come with opaque agreements and financial dependencies, allowing Chinese firms to control data pipelines and create reliance on their platforms.
Chinese biometric surveillance technologies boast high levels of precision, with innovations like gait recognition being deployed in sensitive regions like Xinjiang. Emotion recognition adds another layer to surveillance capabilities, raising ethical concerns about privacy and mental health. Domestically, China’s Social Credit System uses biometric surveillance to regulate individual and corporate behavior, with documented impacts including travel restrictions for citizens with low social credit scores.
The export of Chinese surveillance technology poses risks in countries with weak regulations, importing authoritarian practices along with the hardware. This can lead to governance models that suppress opposition and undermine sovereignty, aligning more with authoritarian principles than democratic ideals.
China’s strategic integration of cyber-espionage in IoT networks and the global export of biometric surveillance systems aims to reshape geopolitical influence through digital means. By embedding technology into the critical infrastructures of emerging economies, Beijing gains access to vast datasets for economic and political objectives. This could potentially influence food aid decisions during political unrest, deepening reliance on Chinese infrastructure and shaping international norms. This data-focused strategy solidifies China’s impact in a modern era of geopolitical strength shaped by digital interconnections.
Opinions expressed in this piece are solely those of the author and may not align with the perspectives of The Epoch Times.
