New report out: China’s Digital Power. Assessing the Implications for the EU

New report out: China’s Digital Power. Assessing the Implications for the EU

    Today, the Digital Power China research consortium, a group of European engineers and China experts, has published its first report that I have edited. Find out more!

    The full report is available here.

    What are the implications of China’s growing footprint in digital tech for the EU? Digital Power China, a group of engineers and China scholars, has addressed this question in a new report.

    A total of seven chapters are co-authored by engineers and China experts. They cover semiconductors, 5G wireless technology and beyond, Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things, Chinese information campaigns, technical standardization and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific and EurAfrican regions. All chapters identify and analyze four sets of challenges ranging from economic to political, security and values. Each chapter provides specific policy recommendations.

    Here are a few general main takeaways:

    • China’s digital capabilities are rapidly rising, but not dominant (yet).

    • China tackles primarily new cutting-edge tech and strategically important emerging niches.

    • Backdoors are an omnipresent risk.

    • The EU is better positioned in research & development but lacks turning innovation into invention.

    • Cooperation with China is necessary to facilitate innovation, but we compete over talent.

    • The EU needs to invest more in interdisciplinary, policy-oriented research.

    Questioning long-held beliefs, this report systematically pairs engineering and China knowledge to facilitate a well-grounded EU policy response.

    About the Digital Power China research consortium:

    The Digital Power China research (DPC) consortium is a gathering of China experts and engineers based in eight European research institutions, including universities and think tanks. In addition, a European non-resident fellow of a US research institution has joined DPC.

    The group is devoted to track and analyse China’s growing footprint in digital technologies and its implications for the European Union. Based on interdisciplinary research DPC offers concrete policy advise to the EU. Tim Rühlig, Research Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), is the convenor of DPC and co-chairs the initiative with Carlo Fischione, who is a Professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

    DPC systematically pairs technological and country expertise. It is based on rigorous academic research that is combined with experience in the provision of policy advice. The informal group brings together a variety of European researchers in order to pair diverging perspectives from across the continent. Responsibility relies solely with the indicated authors of the chapters and papers published by DPC.

    At the time of writing the chapters, the participating researchers were affiliated with the following institutions:

    • Belgium: KU Leuven

    • France: French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), Paris

    • Germany: German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Berlin; Jacobs University Bremen; Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Berlin; Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV), Berlin

    • Greece: Athens University of Economics and Business

    • Italy: University of Insubria, Varese/Como; University of L’Aquila

    • Latvia: Riga Stradins University

    • The Netherlands: Clingendael Institute, The Hague; Leiden Asia Centre at Leiden University

    • Sweden: The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm; The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI), Stockholm; Uppsala University (UU)

    • United States: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge.

    The production of this report has been supported through the COST Action CA18215 - China In Europe Research Network (CHERN), supported by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST).

    The full report is available here.

    Picture: Logo of the Digital Power China consortium.