China's Smart Diaspora Governance: Extraterritorial Social Control Through Digital Platforms

Abstract

This article investigates the transformative impact of information communication technology on China's extraterritorial governance practices directed at Chinese populations residing overseas. Employing textual analysis on official documents, media reports, and data from qualitative interviews with ethnic Chinese association leaders in Europe, we contend that e-governance and social media platforms, notably Weixin, are instrumental in reshaping transnational space by facilitating enhanced overseas social control. Digital technology enables local Chinese officials to extend domestic security and judicial practices by empowering overseas Chinese association leaders as on-the-ground liaison and information conduits. The implementation of e-government services further amplifies the local party-state's access to, and the collection of data pertaining to Chinese emigrants. Drawing on a case study of Qingtian County in Zhejiang province, we posit that China's diaspora governance needs to be understood in the broader context of China's swiftly evolving digital landscape, where Weixin assumes a pivotal role as a digital infrastructure.