The Expanding Digital Reach of the Chinese State

Drawing on recent cases of digital technology adoption in China, this paper investigates changes in the digital reach of the Chinese state. We focus first on state capacity, a key dimension of state reach, and show that the adoption of digital technologies by central and local governments has increased coercive, administrative, and extractive capacity. We also examine the state's intrusiveness and show that digitalizing governance and regulatory processes has enabled new forms of power abuse, leading to resource waste and resistance among citizens. We contend that broader societal debate on the practices and outcomes of digital governance is essential to addressing these challenges. While digitalization poses unique challenges to regulators and societies worldwide, China's advanced experience offers important lessons.