Groups are cautioning that China’s Digital Silk Road (D.S.R.) enables the country to export digital authoritarianism globally. The D.S.R. is a significant component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (B.R.I.), aiming to support digitization and technological advancement in partner states while benefiting Chinese exporters. Currently, 149 countries have signed agreements with China under the B.R.I., and at least 16—though likely more, as many agreements go unreported—have signed additional D.S.R. contracts. This expansion is raising concerns among democracies worldwide, as many fear China could use the D.S.R. to export its model of digital authoritarianism, which challenges personal freedoms and raises security issues on a global scale.

Article 19, a UK-based human rights organization, released a report in April 2024 detailing the D.S.R. project. The report argues that D.S.R. is less about fostering technological advancement worldwide and more about advancing “a fragmented digital ecosystem, built on censorship and surveillance, where China and other networked autocracies can prosper.” Countries like Cambodia have adopted digital governance models similar to China’s. The Internet Society, a U.S.-based advocacy organization, warns, “The impact on Cambodian network connections will affect anyone who connects with those networks, which could have serious consequences for social and economic life and potentially endanger free expression.”

The potential for China’s D.S.R. Initiative to spread censorship and authoritarian practices poses significant ethical and security concerns.While D.S.R. promises considerable opportunities for infrastructure development and technological advancement, these issues need attention. Safeguarding democratic principles and personal freedoms remains essential as nations modernize. Although outright rejection of China’s investment and development plans may not be the answer, concerted international efforts are vital to addressing China’s digital expansionism and upholding democratic values within the digital sphere.

China launched its Belt and Road Initiative (B.R.I.) in 2013 as a global infrastructure development strategy, aiming to invest in more than 100 countries and international organizations. Inspired by the historical Silk Road, a network of Eurasian trade routes that once facilitated East-West exchanges, the B.R.I. was designed to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties. In 2015, the Digital Silk Road (D.S.R.) was introduced as an extension of this initiative. Just as the B.R.I. funds physical infrastructure, D.S.R. investments are directed at advancing telecommunications networks, artificial intelligence, mobile payment systems, and other high-tech areas.

The concerns raised by human rights organizations regarding the exportation of digital authoritarianism highlight the urgent need for international cooperation and vigilance. As democracies worldwide grapple with the challenges posed by China’s expanding influence, it is critical to recognize the potential threat to personal freedoms and democratic values. As China’s Digital Silk Road continues to gain traction, it becomes increasingly crucial to hold governments accountable and uphold ethical development standards. Strengthening initiatives aimed at enhancing digital literacy, fortifying local institutions, and fostering international cooperation will be pivotal to shaping a balanced digital landscape where the influence of Chinese digital authoritarianism is mitigated.