Dr. Yujia He from the Institute for Emerging Market Studies of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will visit the United Nations University Institute in Macau to give a talk on Chinese tech investment in South-East Asia.
ABSTRACT
This research analySes Chinese overseas investment in the information technology sectors in Southeast Asia and the implications for the host country’s sustainable development. Using the case of Indonesia, the region’s largest economy, the research finds that Chinese firms have shown increasing influence in developing the foundations of the digital economy, including Internet infrastructure, cross-border e-commerce, and digital financial services, yet the limited impact on tech transfer and local talent development. New technologies and business practices have also incurred socioeconomic issues, prompting the host country government to respond with new regulations and institutions. To maximize the benefits from Chinese tech investment, emerging economies need to enhance domestic regulatory frameworks, partner with industry in digital skills development, and promote international regulatory coordination.
SHORT BIO
Dr. Yujia He is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Emerging Market Studies (IEMS) at HKUST. Her areas of expertise are international political economy and science and technology policy. As a co-investigator of an IEMS project “Green and Smart or Black and Clumsy? Examining the role of Chinese investors in ASEAN’s sustainable development”, her current research focuses on Chinese high-tech sectors’ investment in Southeast Asia and the effect on the region’s development. She has published articles in the International Journal of Emerging Markets, Resources Policy, and policy briefs on cable investment, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and citizen science. Her work has also received funding from the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy, the University of Chicago Center in Beijing, the George Washington University Center for International Business Education and Research, and the Sam Nunn Security Program. She obtained her Ph.D. in International Affairs, Science and Technology from Georgia Tech and BS in Chemistry from Peking University.
