Institutional Convergence between Russia and China in the Field of Cybersecurity: Legal Frameworks and Implications for Bilateral Cooperation

The phenomenon of institutional convergence between Russia and China in the field of cybersecurity and its impact on bilateral cooperation is a key issue for understanding the long-term and sustainable development of cooperation between the two states in this area. The subject of this study is the concepts of cyberspace governance and the relevant legal institutions in Russia and China. The aim of the study is to identify the mechanisms driving institutional convergence in the field of cybersecurity and to analyse its impact on the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation. To achieve this objective, a comparative analysis is conducted of the concepts of cybersovereignty, perceptions of national security and models of state governance in Russia and China, and institutional mechanisms in the areas of data governance, critical information infrastructure protection, content regulation and combating cybercrime are examined. The study employs the comparative legal method, institutional analysis, and an analysis of legal acts. Based on a systematic examination of legislation, regulatory acts, policy documents and the history of cooperation between the two countries, the study analyses the specific features of the development and functioning of the relevant institutions.The findings of the study show that Russia and China share a high degree of commonality in their approaches to cyber sovereignty, the priority of national security, and state regulation of the digital space. These conceptual frameworks are reflected in similar institutional arrangements, including data localisation and mechanisms for regulating information content. Such institutional compatibility facilitates the development of common approaches to risk assessment, the application of legal norms and the coordination of regulatory policy, thereby reducing the costs of cooperation in the areas of cross-border data management, law enforcement cooperation and the harmonisation of international standards. It is concluded that Russian-Chinese cooperation in the field of cybersecurity is determined not only by the influence of external factors, but is also based on shared governance principles and similar institutional logic. This article proposes an analytical framework of 'management concepts – legal institutions – effects of cooperation', which allows for a new understanding of the transformation of the international order of cyberspace governance and the interaction of various models of digital regulation.