Inroads into the Global Cyberspace: The Visions and Prospects of China's Digital Silk Road

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract
The thesis aims to understand the visions for China’s Digital Silk Road and its prospects for success in engaging other countries in this initiative. The Digital Silk Road (DSR) is a recent extension of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at the non-physical aspects of China’s “Going Out” and the establishment of trade networks and infrastructure. The DSR is a clear departure from the BRI and physical infrastructure, with its emphasis on the development and export of digital technologies. There are three broad categories of DSR projects: Digital Infrastructure; Smart City Development; E-Commerce. As Chinese technology develops, we are likely to see the scope of DSR projects increase as more disruptive technologies become products of Chinese export. It is clear that the DSR constitutes the technological thrust of the BRI and China’s “going out” policy. This global policy of exporting technology is also a rather unprecedented move by China and deserves scholarly attention. The DSR offers an insightful avenue to understand China’s international goals and aspirations with respect to the BRI and in the global cyberspace. This thesis focuses on Southeast Asia as a case study to understand the prospects of foreign engagement in such initiatives. It is concerned with these fundamental questions: What are China’s visions and goals with respect to the DSR? Why and how are these vision(s) attractive to other countries? Does China have the political, economic, and technological capacity to accomplish all this on a sustained basis?

Description

Type of resource text
Date created August 2020

Creators/Contributors

Author Chu, Yan Cheng
Primary advisor Lampton, David M.
Degree granting institution Stanford University, Stanford Global Studies, Center for East Asian Studies

Subjects

Subject Stanford Global Studies
Subject East Asian Studies
Subject Belt and Road Initiative
Subject Digital Silk Road
Subject China
Subject Southeast Asia
Subject Technology
Subject Foreign Policy
Subject International Relations
Subject Trade
Subject Security
Genre Thesis

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).

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Preferred Citation
Chu, Yan Cheng. (2020). Inroads into the Global Cyberspace: The Visions and Prospects of China's Digital Silk Road. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/zs515dy4419

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Stanford Center for East Asian Studies Thesis Collection

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