THE UNITED NATIONS PERMANENT REPRESEN-TATIVES of China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan jointly sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday, requesting him to circulate the International Code of Conduct for Information Security. Drafted by the four countries, it is a formal UN document of the 66th session of the General Assembly.

It is the first of its kind in the field, and shows the joint efforts made by the international community in setting the rules for cyberspace.

According to the letter, the code's purpose is to identify states' rights and responsibilities in cyberspace, promote their constructive and responsible behavior, and enhance their cooperation in addressing the common threats and challenges in cyberspace.