Digital Diplomacy and the US-China Rivalry: Fragmentation Governance of Global Order

This book explores how the strategic rivalry between the U.S. and China is reshaping the global digital landscape. It dives into the competition over artificial intelligence standards, digital infrastructure governance, and the competing visions for the future of cyberspace. The work highlights the complex interplay of digital, cyber, and tech diplomacy as different but connected ways nations exert influence in this domain. It reveals a world marked by fragmentation - seen in conflicting standards, data localization rules, and separate digital ecosystems - while also acknowledging the ongoing interdependence that digital networks create across borders. The analysis introduces a three-way governance model involving governments, the private sector, and international institutions, showing how they collectively shape AI rules, ensure platform interoperability, and govern online spaces. This framework captures the mix of cooperation and rivalry that defines the global digital commons. China's responses include efforts to assert technological sovereignty, expand its Digital Silk Road, and promote alternative governance models.