On April 11, 2025, the Beijing Party Member Education Network released a remarkable 13-lesson educational series on China’s national digital strategy, Digital China. Designed as a foundational introduction, the course targets Party cadre and members and is intended to raise awareness, elevate political understanding, and standardize implementation.

The series covers every major element of Digital China: historical development, the role of data, national and international objectives, the strategic framework, societal transformation, digital governance, digital security, and the construction of digital infrastructure.

Each lesson in the series includes an authoritative list of key terms that Party members are expected to master.

Below is a compiled glossary of all specialized Digital China terminology presented in the course:

Large-Scale Social System Project

Digital China construction covers multiple fields such as science and technology, economy, politics, culture, society, ecology, and security, involving big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, e-government, Smart Cities, Digital Villages, as well as numerous other content. It is a large-scale social system project. Accelerating Digital China construction is an inevitable choice to advance Chinese Style Modernization and seize the commanding heights of future development. It is an inevitable requirement for advancing the modernization of the National Governance System and governance capabilities. It is also an inevitable choice to advance the building of a Community of Common Destiny for Mankind.

Key Terminology with footnoted definitions: large-scale social system project1 (大规模的社会系统工程), Chinese Style Modernization2 (中国式现代化), National Governance System3 (国家治理体系), Community of Common Destiny for Mankind4 (人类命运共同体).

Aorta of Digital Infrastructure

Digital infrastructure is composed of computing power infrastructure, network infrastructure, and application infrastructure, together establishing the cornerstone for Digital China. To consolidate the foundation for Digital China construction, we must first start from these three aspects and open up the aorta of digital infrastructure.

Key Terminology with footnoted definitions: computing power infrastructure, network infrastructure, and application infrastructure5 (算力基础设施、网络基础设施和应用基础设施), aorta of digital infrastructure6 (数字基础设施大动脉).

Grand Circulation of Data Resources

Data is a new important factor of production after land, labor, capital, and technology. To consolidate the foundation for constructing Digital China, we must also facilitate the grand circulation of data resources, remove obstacles to the transfer and utilization of data, enable it to flow at high speed and be reasonably utilized in the information “aorta,” and promote the effective release of the value of data elements.

Key Terminology with footnoted definitions: factor of production7 (生产要素), grand circulation of data resources8 (数据资源大循环), information aorta9 (信息大动脉), data element10 (数据要素).

Digital Economy

Accelerating the development of the Digital Economy is a strategic choice for our country to seize new opportunities in a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. It is also a strategic plan for our country to build a modernized industrial system and advance High Quality Development of the economy. It is also a key task of our country’s economic work in recent years. Although our country’s Digital Economy development currently ranks first in the world, it is still in a state of “bigger but not stronger, faster but not better”. To cope with various challenges, we must strengthen, optimize, and expand the digital economy.

Key Terminology with footnoted definitions: Digital Economy11 (数字经济), modernized industrial system12 (现代化产业体系), High Quality Development13 (高质量发展), new opportunities in a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation14 (新一轮科技革命和产业变革新机遇).

National Governance System

One of the most notable indicators of the positive progress in Digital China construction is the continuous improvement in the level of digitalization in government services. To achieve the goal set out in the 20th National Party Congress report of “basically realizing the modernization of the National Governance System and governance capabilities” by 2035, it is essential to promote the construction of efficient and collaborative Digital Government Affairs.

Key Terminology with footnoted definitions: National Governance System15 (国家治理体系), Digital Government Affairs16 (数字政务).

Deep Fusion of Digital Technology and Culture

In the digital age, the development of digital culture is an important starting point for building a Cultural Great Power, and it has irreplaceable significance in inheriting historical culture, carrying out cultural dissemination, and enhancing the influence of Chinese culture. We must promote the deep fusion of digital technology and culture, activate cultural resources with new technologies, new approaches, and new models, and create a confident and prosperous Digital Culture.

Key Terminology with footnoted definitions: Cultural Great Power17 (文化强国), deep fusion of digital technology and culture18 (数字技术与文化的深度融合), Digital Culture19 (数字文化).

Digital Social Governance

One of the goals for Digital China construction in 2025 is to achieve “significant results in making Digital Society more precise, inclusive, and convenient.” To achieve this goal, efforts must be made in three areas: public services, social governance, and the People’s Livelihood, in order to build an inclusive and convenient Digital Society.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: Digital Society20 (数字社会), (digital) public services21 (数字公共服务), (digital) social governance22 (数字社会治理), People’s Livelihood23 (人民生活).

Digital Ecological Civilization

Chinese Style Modernization is a form of modernization characterized by harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, and Digital Ecological Civilization is a key lever for promoting this harmony. Building a green and smart Digital Ecological Civilization, through the broad application of digital technologies for the smart governance of the eco-environment, deepening the coordinated transformation and development of digitalization and greening, and popularizing a digitalized green lifestyle, is the only path to achieving harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: Chinese Style Modernization24 (中国式现代化), Digital Ecological Civilization25 (数字生态文明).

Digital Technology Innovation System

In the construction of Digital China, capacity building is the top priority. To strengthen the key capabilities of Digital China, one of the core tasks is to build a self-reliant and self-strengthening Digital Technology Innovation System. This includes improving the New Style Whole-of-Nation System to tackle critical and core technologies under the conditions of a socialist market economy, accelerating the establishment of an enterprise-led Technology Innovation System, and enhancing intellectual property protection.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: Digital Technology Innovation System26 (数字技术创新体系), New Style Whole-of-Nation System27 (新型举国体制).

Digital Security Barrier

The current digital security environment is becoming increasingly complex. In this context, building a strong, trustworthy, and controllable Digital Security Barrier is both an urgent requirement for addressing digital security challenges and a core element of strengthening the critical capabilities of Digital China. This includes not only the security of data, but also the security of infrastructure and application systems.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: Digital Security Barrier28 (数字安全屏障).

Digital Governance Ecosystem

While advances in digital technology have brought comprehensive economic and social development, they have also brought new issues and challenges in development and oversight. To ensure the healthy and sustainable development of Digital China, it is necessary to continuously optimize the environment for digitalized development by improving the legal and regulatory system, building a technology standards system, enhancing governance capacity, and purifying cyberspace, thereby creating an equitable and orderly digital governance ecosystem.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: environment for digitalized development29 (数字化发展环境), legal and regulatory system30 (法律法规体系), technology standards system31 (技术标准体), governance capacity32 (治理水平), purifying cyberspace33 (净化网络空间), digital governance ecosystem34 (数字治理生态).

International Cooperation in the Digital Domain

The digital governance ecosystem and international cooperation in the digital domain form the two environments, “domestic and international,” of Digital China. To optimize the environment for digitalized development, it is essential not only to build an equitable and orderly digital governance ecosystem, but also to address two major bottlenecks: insufficient systemic planning and limited international discourse power. This requires efforts on two fronts: establishing a system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain and expanding the space for international cooperation in the digital domain. Ultimately, we strive to build an open and win-win pattern of international cooperation in the digital domain.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: digital governance ecosystem35 (数字治理生态), international cooperation in the digital domain36 (数字领域国际合作), environment for digitalized development37 (数字化发展环境), systemic planning38 (统筹谋划), international discourse power39 (话语权), system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain40 (国际交流合作体系), space for international cooperation in the digital domain41 (国际合作空).

The Party’s Core Leadership Role

To advance the construction of Digital China, we must fully leverage the Party’s core leadership role in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties. This requires global planning, comprehensive deployment, and systemic implementation across areas such as strengthening organizational leadership, improving the organizational system and mechanism, ensuring capital investment, reinforcing support for talent, and fostering a favorable atmosphere. By ensuring all tasks are put into concrete action, this will inject powerful momentum into comprehensively advancing the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation through Chinese Style Modernization.

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: Party’s core leadership role42 (党总揽全局), global planning43 (整体谋划), systemic implementation44 (统筹推进), organizational system and mechanism45 (体制机制), Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation46 (中华民族伟大复兴), Chinese Style Modernization47 (中国式现代化).

Footnotes

  1. large-scale social system project (大规模的社会系统工程). Large-scale social system projects are complex, top-level, coordinated efforts to reshape or construct major components of society, see see Wang Shoulin (王寿林), “Adhere to a Systems Thinking Approach to Advance Comprehensive and Coordinated Work Across All Spheres” (坚持以系统观念全面协调推动各领域工作), Guangming Daily, February 10, 2023. ↩︎
  2. Chinese Style Modernization (中国式现代化). Party commentary describes the driving and leading role of Digital China (thru informatization and digitalization) in Chinese Style (socialist) Modernization. The digital transformation of socialist modernization will give China an edge both domestically (by improving societal efficiency and social equity) and globally (by offering a superior alternative to emerging Western developmental models tied to digital capitalism). ↩︎
  3. National Governance System (国家治理体系). “The National Governance System is a system of institutions for managing the country under CCP leadership. These include economic, political, cultural, social, ecological, and Party development mechanisms and institutions, as well as laws, regulations and plans. These are a complete set of tightly linked and coordinated national institutions,” from “Modernizing the National Governance System and Capacity,” China.org.cn, November 11, 2022. ↩︎
  4. Community of Common Destiny for Mankind (人类命运共同体). The Community of Common Destiny for Mankind expresses “Beijing’s long-term vision for transforming the international environment to make it compatible with China’s governance model and emergence as a global leader,” from Liza Tobin, “Xi’s Vision for Transforming Global Governance: A Strategic Challenge for Washington and Its Allies,” Texas National Security Review, November 2018. ↩︎
  5. computing power infrastructure, network infrastructure, and application infrastructure (算力基础设施、网络基础设施和应用基础设施). These are tiered categories of New Type Infrastructure. New Type Infrastructure is a major industrial policy framework led by the Party that seeks to build national digital ecosystems in support of China’s economic growth, national security, social stability, and technological innovation. ↩︎
  6. aorta of digital infrastructure (数字基础设施大动脉). This is Xi Jinping’s personal metaphor, the information or digital “aorta,” used to help non-technical Party cadre and members grasp the urgency of digital infrastructure construction and development. ↩︎
  7. factor of production (生产要素). A concrete signal of the Party’s new view on data came in April 2020. At that time, the central government formally revised core elements of Marxist theory, both historical materialism and the labor theory of value, by designating data as a new factor of production, and the key factor in a digital economy, surpassing labor. ↩︎
  8. grand circulation of data resources (数据资源大循环). The Party seeks the Grand Circulation of Data Resources, a concept embodied in its decision to build the world’s first nationally unified system of rules, institutions, and technologies to comprehensively manage data and its intelligent application. ↩︎
  9. Ibid 6 ↩︎
  10. data element (数据要素). “Data element” is the standard translation of “数据要素” in PRC state-run media, but you will also see it translated occasionally inside and outside China as “data factor” or “data asset.” Data elements are “data resources that exist in electronic form and participate in economic activities through computational means, generating significant value. In the digital economy, the role of data elements is comparable to that of traditional factors of production such as labor, capital, and land. Data elements are the core engine driving the development of the Digital Economy,” see “Data Element” (数据要素), Hubei Data Administration, January 07, 2024. ↩︎
  11. Digital Economy (数字经济). “The Digital Economy is the primary economic form following the agricultural and industrial economies. It takes data resources as the key factor of production, modern information networks as the main carrier, and the fused application of information and communication technologies along with the digital transformation of all factors of production as its main drivers. It represents a new economic form that promotes a more unified balance between equity and efficiency,” see “What is the Digital Economy” (什么是数字经济), Wuhan People’s Government, October 30, 2024. ↩︎
  12. modernized industrial system (现代化产业体系). A “modernized industrial system” is the material and technological foundation of a modern nation. “Without the modernization of the industrial system, there can be no modernization of the economy; without a solid material and technological foundation, it is impossible to fully build a Modernized Socialist Great Power,” see “What Does It Mean to Build a Modernized Industrial System” (如何理解建设现代化产业体系？), Communist Party Member Network, December 29, 2022. ↩︎
  13. High Quality Development (高质量发展). “High-quality development means a change from merely seeking growth to seeking better growth and seeking quality over quantity,” see “What to know about China’s high-quality development,” Xinhua, March 18, 2024. ↩︎
  14. new opportunities in a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation (新一轮科技革命和产业变革新机遇). “When Chinese leaders speak of a “new round of techno-scientific revolution and industrial transformation” they envision a suite of new technologies whose development will have an economic impact comparable to the invention of steam power, electricity, or the computer,” see The Center for Strategic Translation Glossary: “New Round of Techno-Scientific Revolution and Industrial Transformation.” ↩︎
  15. Ibid 3 ↩︎
  16. Digital Government Affairs (数字政务). “To achieve the goal set out in the 20th National Party Congress report of “basically realizing the modernization of the National Governance System and governance capabilities” by 2035, it is essential to promote the construction of efficient and collaborative digital government affairs … Digital government affairs is not only a technical issue but also a matter of governance. It is essential to accelerate the establishment of an institutional and regulatory system that facilitates efficient collaboration across departments and administrative levels … Digital Government Affairs are an upgraded version of e-government and a further expansion of Digital Government. They are also an important driving force for the coordinated development of the Digital Economy and Digital Society,” see “Inside Digital China (5/13): Digital Government.” ↩︎
  17. Cultural Great Power (文化强国). “In the digital age, developing Digital Culture is a key lever for building a Cultural Great Power and an inherent requirement for promoting High Quality Development of the cultural industry. It plays an irreplaceable role in preserving historical culture, advancing cultural communication, and enhancing the influence of Chinese culture,” see, “Inside Digital China (6/13): Digital Culture.” ↩︎
  18. deep fusion of digital technology and culture (数字技术与文化的深度融合). “As outlined in the Plan for the Global Layout of Digital China Construction, it is necessary to promote the deep fusion of digital technology and culture, activate cultural resources with new technologies, new approaches, and new models, and create a confident and prosperous Digital Culture,” see, “Inside Digital China (6/13): Digital Culture.” ↩︎
  19. Digital Culture (数字文化). “Digital Culture is a important force in enhancing national cultural soft power, and the level of cultural supply is an important indicator of the level of cultural development,” see, “Inside Digital China (6/13): Digital Culture.” ↩︎
  20. Digital Society (数字社会). “Digital Society is a new social form that is supported by digitalized, networkized, and intelligentized technologies, and is characterized by a high degree of fusion between physical society and virtual Digital Society. It is seen as a new developmental stage following agricultural society, industrial society, and information society,” see Baidu Encyclopedia “Digital Society.” ↩︎
  21. (digital) public services (数字公共服务). “Public services are directly related to the vital interests of the people and are an important part of social construction. Their informatization and digitalization will help innovate the supply mode and improve the quality of services. Especially in key areas such as education and medical care, we must vigorously implement the National Education Digitalization Strategic Action, improve the National Smart Education Platform, develop digital health, and standardize the development of Internet diagnosis and treatment and Internet hospitals,” see “Inside Digital China (7/13): Digital Society.” ↩︎
  22. (digital) social governance (数字社会治理). “Improving the social governance system is a major task advanced by the Party … with an overall requirement … to ensure political security, social stability, and the people’s safety,” see “Improve the Social Governance System,” People’s Daily, January 11, 2023, Page 9. ↩︎
  23. People’s Livelihood (人民生活). “Ensuring and improving People’s Livelihood helps build a better future…China works to meet people’s aspirations for a better life, with an aim to provide them with more stable jobs, higher incomes, better education, and more reliable social security,” see Ren Ping and Zhang Fan, “China steadily enhances ability to ensure livelihood during development,” People’s Daily, May 30, 2024. ↩︎
  24. Ibid 2 ↩︎
  25. Digital Ecological Civilization (数字生态文明). “Digital Ecological Civilization is a key tool to promote harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. We should build a green and smart Digital Ecological Civilization and widely apply digital technology for eco-environmental smart governance,” see “Inside Digital China (8/13): Digital Ecology,” see “Inside Digital China (8/13): Digital Ecology.” ↩︎
  26. Digital Technology Innovation System (数字技术创新体系). “In 2023, the development of a Digital Technology Innovation System replaced one of the original “means” of the Digital China strategy dating from 2017, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industrial Ecosystem. The ICT Industrial Ecosystem was a much narrower concept focused on the state-owned ICT sector. Compared to the “old” state-led “means” of an ICT ecosystem, the “new” state-coordinated “means” of an innovation ecosystem leverages both public and private capacities,” see “Inside Digital China (9/13): Digital Technology Innovation System.” ↩︎
  27. New Style Whole-of-Nation System (新型举国体制). “The Party is refining the New Style Whole-of-Nation System for tackling critical and core technologies. The integration of the Digital China strategy’s Digital Technology Innovation System with the New Style Whole-of-Nation System reflects a broader shift in China’s development model. The Party now envisions a Digital Technology Innovation System where strategic national goals are achieved through collaboration between the government, market, and society, underpinned by strong enterprise participation and a robust, evolving intellectual property framework,” see Inside Digital China (9/13): Digital Technology Innovation System.” ↩︎
  28. Digital Security Barrier (数字安全屏障). “To build a robust Digital Security Barrier, it is essential to effectively safeguard cybersecurity and improve the legal, regulatory, and policy framework for cybersecurity. This includes not only the security of data, but also the security of infrastructure and application systems. Improving the Institutional System for Digital Security and building a flexible, resilient, and robust Digital Security Industrial Ecosystem will also help establish a trustworthy and controllable Digital Security Barrier.” see “Inside Digital China (10/13): Digital Security Barrier.” ↩︎
  29. environment for digitalized development (数字化发展环境). The environment for digitalized development is optimized when the “enthusiasm and initiative of all stakeholders involved in running, using, and controlling the Internet are fully mobilized.” See, “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.” ↩︎
  30. legal and regulatory system (法律法规体系). An improved legal and regulatory system must address any blind spots and gaps in the nation’s existing laws and regulations for the digital domain. This will ensure a healthy and orderly development environment for digital governance. See, “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.”  ↩︎
  31. technology standards system (技术标准体). A new technology standards system reinforces the foundational and guiding role of standardization in the construction of Digital China. The system must create and revise application standards for digitalized transformation in various industries as well as cross-industry fused development. See, “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.” ↩︎
  32. governance capacity (治理水平). Improved governance capacity is embodied in the Comprehensive Cyber Governance System, an enhancement of the Comprehensive Internet Governance System. Party leadership is essential to further enhance governance capacity in the digital domain, as seen in the principle of Party Control of the Internet. See, “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.” ↩︎
  33. purifying cyberspace (净化网络空间). A cyberspace ecosystem that is clear, bright, and sound is the shared aspiration of the vast number of Internet users, the central objective of efforts to Control and Govern the Internet, and fosters a civilized and harmonious environment for the development of Digital China. See “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.” ↩︎
  34. digital governance ecosystem (数字治理生态). The digital governance ecosystem is a “new structure and new content for national governance in the digital era” that better supports “the healthy and sustainable development of Digital China.” It consists of the following features: an improved legal and regulatory system, a new technology standards system, enhanced governance capacity, and purified cyberspace. See “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.” ↩︎
  35. Ibid 34 ↩︎
  36. international cooperation in the digital domain (数字领域国际合作). Cooperation in the digital domain masks deeper competition over strategic interests. As Lesson 12 highlights, “Deepen international cooperation in the digital domain and actively participate in the process of building an international digital governance system. In the digital age, this is where countries use their discourse power to vie over the redistribution of interests,” see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  37. environment for (global) digitalized development (数字化发展环境). To optimize the “environment for digitalized development,” construction of the domestic environment (an equitable and orderly digital governance ecosystem) must be synchronized and integrated with construction of the international environment (an open and win-win pattern of international cooperation in the digital domain), see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  38. systemic planning (统筹谋划). Literally “coordinated planning” but contextually “systemic planning,” as this term integrates systems thinking (系统观念) into planning to address complex issues of economic and social development, see “Use Systems Thinking to Systemically Plan Economic and Social Development,” Economic Daily, January 24, 2022. ↩︎
  39. international discourse power (话语权). “The term “discourse power” today encompasses the broader goal of the Chinese Communist Party to achieve greater influence globally in the setting of economic and political agendas, and in the shaping of global public opinion – all seen as closely related to China’s comprehensive national power,” see Stella Chen, “Discourse Power,” The China Media Project Dictionary, May 30, 2022. ↩︎
  40. system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain (数字领域国际交流合作体系). “The system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain refers to the mechanisms and platforms through which countries engage in cooperation and exchange in areas such as digital technology, the Digital Economy, and Digital Culture. This includes international organizations, international conferences, bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, and the Digital Silk Road itself,” see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  41. space for international cooperation in the digital domain (数字领域国际合作空). “China has actively advanced international cooperation and exchange in the digital domain through concrete actions, built high-quality platforms for open cooperation in the digital domain, and actively participated in the formulation of international rules related to cross-border data flows. These efforts have expanded the space for international cooperation in the digital domain and, together with other countries, fostered new digital drivers for global development,” see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  42. Party’s core leadership role (党总揽全局). Literally, “the Party takes overall control” but officially translated in China as “the Party exercises overall leadership.” ↩︎
  43. global planning (整体谋划). Literally “holistic planning” but contextually “global planning” better reflects the meaning. By Party design, Digital China systemically coordinates the domestic and international digital environments to achieve a common end state. We call frameworks like this a “global” strategy. See, “Digital China’s New ‘Global’ Layout, not ‘Overall’ Layout.” ↩︎
  44. systemic implementation (统筹推进). Literally “coordinated implementation” but contextually “systemic implementation” better reflects the meaning, as Digital China is systems-level issue, and the term “统筹” integrates systems thinking (系统观念) into planning to address complex issues of economic and social development, see “Use Systems Thinking to Systemically Plan Economic and Social Development,” Economic Daily, January 24, 2022. ↩︎
  45. organizational system and mechanism (体制机制). The organizational system and mechanism refers to the entire institutional and operational architecture of a given domain. To give a sense of function and scope, General Secretary Xi Jinping directed that the organizational system and mechanism for major epidemic prevention and control be “improved” at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. ↩︎
  46. Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation (中华民族伟大复兴). “National rejuvenation… represents the common denominator aspiration of Chinese elites since the country’s humiliation in the mid-19th century Opium Wars. This aspiration is to transform China into not only a modern, powerful, country, but also a country respected for its achievements across the all fields of human endeavor by which great powers measure themselves, from prosperity to military power to cultural influence, to scientific discovery,” see Daniel Tobin, “How Xi Jinping’s ‘New Era’ Should Have Ended U.S. Debate on Beijing’s Ambitions,” Testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, March 13, 2020. ↩︎
  47. Ibid 2 ↩︎