CHINA’S DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT: BETWEEN ISOLATIONISM AND THE NEXT ROUND OF OPENING-UP

In CAA Paper Dominik Mierzejewski and Thomas Chan argue that current policy on the digital economy symbolizes two possible directions: firstly, as a vehicle for delivering the promises of a dual circulation economy with limited interaction with the external world, and adopting an isolationist stance while enforcing strict government control over the people’s preferences.

Secondly, this dual circulation approach will also see China extending its international opening-up possibly based on a proposed national digital currency and the standards of the digital economy. Taking a historical perspective: although Xi Jinping might follow Deng Xiaoping's strategy of opening up, this time it will be based on China's principles and regulations, rather than those that originated from the Western-led liberal world order, as was the case in the past. Please download the CAA Paper here.