A Digital Empire in the Making: China's Outbound Digital Platforms

Abstract

In this article, we use the example of e-commerce giant Alibaba and its outbound activities
\nin the Asia-Pacific to illustrate how China’s digital platforms have become part of a “digital
\nempire in the making.” The article examines how this emergent digital empire is a
\nmanifestation of “going out,” a term used by the Chinese government to rally the private
\nsector (particularly platform capitalists) to internationalize, and how digital champions
\nsuch as Alibaba have responded to and embraced an outward-bound strategy. Though the
\nAsia-Pacific represents an important region for Chinese economic security, especially when
\none considers the established business interests there, extension of Chinese influence to
\ncentral Asia conjures up a different kind of weida fuxing (great rejuvenation), one that
\nevokes a great historical past—namely, the Chinese empire. Accordingly, we speculate on
\nhow digital technologies, platforms, and business mergers will facilitate Chinese influence
\nalong the digital Silk Roads.