ABSTRACT
Understanding the relationship between Chinese tech firms and the Chinese government is challenging. Official statements and documents may give the impression that there are rooms full of cadres deciding on how Chinese tech conglomerates should expand internationally. The role played by the Chinese state in these technology sectors is much less important than such statements imply. China’s leaders are eager to exploit the advantages that the country’s leading technology firms, mostly private, have in relation to their international competitors, particularly in areas such as next-generation infrastructure, including 5G mobile and cloud services. The set of technologies that form the core of the DSR includes telecommunications infrastructure and associated sectors such as data centres, cloud services and select OTT applications, including financial services. Chinese carriers are beginning to issue tenders for full stand-alone networks to support industrial internet applications.
