The Tech Policy Press Podcast New Book Challenges Assumptions on Digital Governance in China
Jan 18, 2026
Join Daniela Stockmann, a professor of digital governance, and Ting Luo, an AI and government expert, as they delve into their new book, Governing Digital China. They challenge the simplistic view of Chinese digital governance, introducing the concept of 'popular corporatism'—where citizens, tech giants like Tencent and Alibaba, and the state influence each other. Discover how user preferences can push platforms for more privacy and less censorship, and explore the balance between economic growth and political control in China’s evolving landscape.
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Not Just Top-Down Control
- China’s digital governance is not pure top-down control but a complex ecosystem of state, corporations, and citizens.
- The authors call this blended arrangement “popular corporatism,” a distinct form of digital authoritarianism.
Decade-Long Collaboration
- Daniela Stockmann and Ting Luo collaborated for over a decade, combining outside and inside perspectives on China.
- Their partnership mixes Daniela's external viewpoint with Ting's lived experience in China to shape the book.
Fieldwork Constraints Skew Debate
- Research on China has become politicized and harder to do, limiting empirical social science access.
- The authors warn discourse is drifting toward emotion and stereotype without fresh field evidence.
