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China Tech Inc. - A Vanguard of Chinese Soft Power
Shourya Gori
Soft power or co-optive power adheres to the idea of attraction and persuasion, instead of force and coercion. Joseph Nye (2004), the pioneer of soft power, attributed, culture political values and foreign policy as primary sources of soft power. Globalisation, coupled with the forces of modern emerging technology has transformed the avenue of soft power. Technology as a domain, has an intersectional and multidimensional effect on all the above mentioned sources of soft power. In fact, developments in the field of technology corresponds to advancement of these sources of soft power. Technological progress embodies the resilience and evolution of knowledge, economy, values and institutions which further augurs well for the soft power projection of a state. Thus, technology is not only a tool but also a pillar in itself when it comes to soft power.
The 20th century demonstrated the role of capital in soft power projection. A similar analogy in terms of technology is being manifested as the dynamics of tech transfer shaping global dynamics. Industrialisation 4.0, internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) have turned technology into an all intrusive, omnipresent and omnipotent force. This digital age has made the state's hunger for technology insatiable and boundless. 'Technological haves' have an inherent advantage and a sway over the 'technological have nots' in this era of technological determinism.
China's soft power has been generally associated with the spread of Chinese diaspora, culture, language and aid. Southeast Asia and East Asia have traditionally been highly influenced by China due to geographical proximity and cultural affinity. Technological advancements have given Beijing the wings to soar above this geographical limitations of soft power containment. While China's growth and development has been fuelled by the western capital and growth, the success of the 'China Story' has a lot to do with the technological niche carved by Beijing from supporting home grown enterprises to making them global giants and the face of China.
In its journey of becoming the Middle Kingdom, also underlies the larger objective of becoming the centre of global innovations and technological research. Technology offers China the opportunity to leapfrog in the economic race and achieve its dream of national rejuvenation while projecting its technology as a growth catalyst having a multiplier effect. The launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 and the Digital Silk Road (DSR) in 2015 are centrifugal to the Chinese playbook for enhancing its soft power. The name 'Digital Silk Road', itself has a strong connotation of soft power attached to it. China has meticulously knitted ancient history to modern technology, that antecedents Chinese civilization as a technological innovator since antiquity. DSR, Beijing's flagship project for technological outreach to the world, focuses on both hardware and software components, making it an alluring opportunity for developing countries as a one-shop stop for tech cooperation.
China highlights its tech exports as a model of common development, inclusivity and win-win cooperation, which has given impetus to the broader framework of the 'Global Community of Shared Future'. This concept overarches the schisms of political systems, ideologies and cultural backgrounds, which are generally considered as hindrances in soft power exposition. Furthermore, DSR provides the Global South a feasible alternative to the expensive Western technologies, which are also bound by certain conditionalities on the end user. Western tech firms, unlike their Chinese counterparts, stress upon strict intellectual property rights, trade monopolies and restrictive regimes to consolidate their market share, thus showcasing a negative and imperial outlook. On the other hand, China's model of capacity building while being involved in tech transfer, gives it an edge, thus portraying the receiving state as a partner and not a mere consumer or client, whilst also enhancing the credibility of the concept, 'Socialism with Chinese Characteristics'. Huawei's operations in Indonesia have seen partnerships with local telecom operators and universities to train next generation of Indonesian engineers and tech specialists. It aligns to the principle of 'teaching one to fish is better than giving him a fish'. This transcends into the broader display of success attributed to Beijing's political system, cultural values, economy and scientific proficiency. Chinese tech also benefits from the negative policies of creating tech regimes and reversing globalisation adopted by the West, as Beijing advocates free and open access of technology and markets, which is also the general consensus in the Global South.
The 'China Standards 2035' that outlines Beijing's ambition to become the global rule maker and standard setter aligns well with its rising technological exports. As more countries adopt digital infrastructure that works on Chinese technology, Beijing's internet rules and standards will become more acceptable and universal, which eventually becomes a classic case for soft power exhibition. This tacit approval of China tech has actually commenced the process of standard homogenization for new emerging technologies. Until 2019, 85 agreements on technical standardization have been signed with 49 countries. The Chinese success in regulating AI also speaks volume about the research and development dedicated towards synthesising the positive effects of AI while minimising negative disruption. As states get involved in regulating Big-Tech, the Chinese tech governance model also gains much traction due to its inherent tendency to limit the power of tech companies while formulating anti-monopolistic regulations for spurring competition, as seen in the case of Alibaba.
Besides frameworks and regulating mechanisms, Chinese technology companies are placed at a much better position in the global technology race. As highlighted in a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Beijing leads in 37 out of the 44 key technologies as compared to its counterparts. Huawei is at the forefront for driving the 5G technology revolution. As the world stands at the cusp of IoT, AI and industrialization 4.0, Huawei's role becomes more prominent in creating robust and resilient internet infrastructure to support national industrialization programmes and advanced connectivity for future. Huawei, the poster boy of China's technological success is also involved in developing critical tech hardware like fibre cables, network towers and handsets as well. It stands out as an outlier by presenting package deals, offering a wide range of services in a largely fragmented digital ecosystem. This is also a testament to the Chinese manufacturing prowess of 'Made in China', which itself is a global brand. Other Chinese companies like ZTC, Xiaomi, ByteDance, DJI and Tencent have been the global face of the Chinese tech revolution.
Enchantment towards China tech is also evident from the growth of STEM talent immigration in China. This highlights the economic incentives and opportunities for foreign talent in China's technological landscape. Coupled with this is the growing number of STEM Ph.D. scholars in China, which sheds light on the general shift of tech scholarship from Washington to Beijing. The human factor associated with confidence, acceptance and adaptability towards a particular technology is comprehensively visible with the increasing use of digital Renminbi, which yet again serves as a model for fin-tech adoption for the world. As the use of Chinese currency becomes more internationalized, many states will be interested in fostering their digital currencies in line with the digital yuan.
The complexities of the digital realm and its subsequent perplexing ramifications present a Pandora's box with the potential to disrupt the larger global order. China has not only sought lead in taming these intricate technologies but it has successfully harnessed those advancements for practical application for general benefit. This ascendancy in harnessing technology has a deep impact in trickling down the economic benefits of these technologies for the citizenry. China has thus mastered Joseph Schumpeter's concept of creative destruction and is employing this tech prevalence for heralding the world transition to advanced digitization. In this process, Chinese tech companies are bridging the global technological divide, while amplifying Chinese soft power.
Although Chinese tech gets acknowledged and endorsed as a soft power excelsior, the growing suspicion and cynicism blemishes Beijing's endeavours of being a leading technological power. Tech-authoritarianism, strategic dependency, disregard for privacy and erosion of democratic values are some serious accusations tarnishing China's technology industry. Despite such concerns a 2023 Pew Research Center survey across 24 countries found an affirmative opinion towards China Tech Inc. These arguments culminate towards a bourgeoning role of Beijing's tech firm which also transcends into its soft power ascendency.
(Shourya Gori is MA International Studies student (2022-24 batch) at the Symbiosis School of International Studies)
References
- Nye, J. (2004). Soft Power: The Means To Success In World Politics. Public Affairs.
- Priyandita, G., Kley,D.,& Herscovitch, B. (2022). Localization and China's Tech Success in Indonesia. Carnegie Endowment for Peace. https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/07/11/localization-and-china-s-tech-success-in-indonesia-pub-87477
- Baark, E. (2021). China's International Technology Standards Strategy and The Digital Silk Road. EAI Background Brief, 1604. https://research.nus.edu.sg/eai/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/EAIBB-No.-1604-China-Standards-and-Digital-Silk-Road-2.pdf
- Xiheng, J. (2020, November 10). Capacity building booster. China Daily. https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202011/10/WS5fa9de0da31024ad0ba8b3b6.html
- China Beating West in race for critical technologies, report says. (2023, March 03). Aljazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/3/3/china-beating-west-in-race-for-critical-technologies-report-says
- Hale, E. (2023, July 27). China viewed poorly by two-thirds of people in 24 countries, survey finds. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/27/china-faces-faltering-global-image-survey-finds