This episode was recorded during the Miller Center’s 2023 William and Carol Stevenson Conference, U.S. China Tech Competiton: Has Democracy Met its Match? 

For more info on this conference, as well as to watch the video versions, follow this link: https://millercenter.org/news-events/events/us-china-tech-competition-has-democracy-met-its-match

This episode features the first panel discussion from the conference entitled:

Apps, platforms, and surveillance  How might apps and other technology platforms play a role in Chinese government data-gathering efforts? What are potential policy responses to the increasingly complex data flows between the United States and China? This panel addresses the long-term stability of U.S. technology infrastructure and related concerns for U.S. national security. 

Josh Chin, Kara Frederick, Shanthi Kalathil, Aynne Kokas (moderator)

In this episode, we're thrilled to have Dr. Aynne Kokas, a C.K. Yen Professor at the Miller Center and an associate professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. Kokas’ research examines Sino-U.S. media and technology relations. Dr. Kokas is also the author of the critically acclaimed book "Trafficking Data: How China Is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty," which we will be referring to frequently throughout this conversation. We will also touch on a few topics that were discussed in her recent conference at the Miller Center titled "U.S.-China Tech Competition: Has Democracy Met Its Match?"

During the event, Dr. Kokas and other experts discussed a variety of issues related to the ongoing tech competition between the US and China. For example, they explored the ways in which apps and other technology platforms may be used by the Chinese government for data-gathering purposes, and examined potential policy responses to the increasingly complex data flows between the two countries. Additionally, they discussed the long-term stability of US technology infrastructure and its implications for national security. In addition, there were panels that discussed the digital economy, climate, tech infrastructure, and political influence between China and the US.

In this episode we'll be discussing data policy for US-China technology, a topic that has become increasingly relevant in recent years as the two countries continue to compete for dominance in the tech industry. We'll delve into the differences in approach to data policy between China and the United States, the implications of these differences, and how China's digital silk road initiative is expanding its influence over the global digital economy.

We'll also discuss the challenges of balancing economic benefits against concerns about national security and human rights, and the future of the technology industry in light of these trends.

Links:

U.S.–China tech competition: Has democracy met its match?

Aynne Kokas website: https://www.aynnekokas.com/

Trafficking Data: How China Is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty