Global Governance of Cross-border Data Flows and China's Response

Jiang Gao
Additional contact information
Jiang Gao: Institute of World Economy, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai, China

Journal of Information Economics, 2025, vol. 3, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: In the digital trade era, cross-border data flows have comprehensively reshaped international trade in terms of trade costs, trade volumes, trade structure, and trade efficiency. Control over data has become a key factor in competition among major powers. The United States, and the European Union have all developed regulatory templates for cross-border data flows, which exhibit significant heterogeneity. China's governance of cross-border data flows started relatively late, and there are differences in governance philosophy compared to the United States and Europe. Additionally, China needs to expand its "circle of friends" in cross-border data flows, improve its domestic data cross-border flow system, and optimize its overall development environment. This paper proposes that China should participate in the global governance of cross-border data flows based on the principles of reciprocity, inclusive development, multi-dimensional governance, and respect for national security and social public interests. Finally, the paper suggests that China should objectively recognize the differences between its rules and those of the United States and Europe. At the international level, China should expand its cross-border data flow network through various binding and non-binding platforms. At the domestic level, China should explore system innovations in cross-border data flows in free trade zones and continuously optimize the digital business environment in terms of digital infrastructure, cyber security, and supporting services.

Keywords: Cross-Border Data Flows; Global Governance; Digital Economy; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.anserpress.org/journal/jie/3/2/47/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.anserpress.org/journal/jie/3/2/47 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bba:j00008:v:3:y:2025:i:2:p:1-13:d:458

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Information Economics is currently edited by Ramona Wang

More articles in Journal of Information Economics from Anser Press
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ramona Wang ().