Decentralising Data Collection and Centralising Information in the People’s Republic of China: Decentralise, Manage, and Service Reforms

Author(s)

Alexander Trauth-Goik, Ausma Bernot

Abstract

Xi Jinping’s ascent to power as Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was accompanied by changes in national governance strategies in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that have progressively incorporated the use of big data. Shortly after, in May 2015, the Chinese State Council released a set of policy reforms under the abbreviation fang guan fu 放管服 (decentralise, manage, and service). These reforms promoted big data led (1) market regulation, (2) supervision and management systems, and (3) service provision processes. By applying a case study analytical approach, this paper explores how advancements in big data contributed to these reforms aimed at centralising information in China. Combining the joint knowledge of surveillance and China studies scholarship, this paper offers evidence of big data surveillance streamlining China’s fragmented intergovernmental policy system. We build on David Murakami Wood’s 2017 outline of a political theory of surveillance and argue that decentralisation of data collection points and centralisation of both bureaucratic and public access to information are key components of the Party-state’s regulatory governance strategy incorporating the use of big data and comprehensive surveillance. Our findings have implications for future analyses of the relationship between political organisations and surveillance within other nation-state contexts, particularly in situations where Chinese technologies and systems are being adopted and adapted.

Organisation(s)

External organisation(s)

Griffith University, University of Wollongong

Journal

Surveillance & Society

Volume

19

Pages

518-536

No. of pages

19

ISSN

1477-7487

DOI

https://doi.org/10.24908/ss.v19i4.14371

Publication date

12-2021

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

506002 E-government, 602045 Sinology, 506010 Policy analysis

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Safety Research, Urban Studies

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/decentralising-data-collection-and-centralising-information-in-the-peoples-republic-of-china-decentralise-manage-and-service-reforms(63c65ce8-3cae-42e4-82f9-0331d6b6c42c).html