Read the full transcript of the event here.

2021 was a tumultuous year for China’s tech industry. Casualties of Beijing’s crackdown included internet conglomerates Tencent and Alibaba, food delivery app Meituan, ride-hailing app Didi, as well as companies in online gaming, private tutoring and cryptocurrency.

Is 2022 likely to continue in the same vein for China’s tech giants? Which strategic areas of tech will Beijing prioritise and what are the wider geopolitical ramifications of its tech policies?

John Lee coordinated work in the think tank MERICS’ research cluster on China’s use of digital technologies. His research covered emerging and foundational technologies in China’s domestic development and international relations, China’s science and innovation policies, and China’s approach to governance of the Internet and cyberspace. He is now director of the East-West Futures consultancy.

Rogier Creemers is an Assistant Professor in Modern Chinese Studies at Leiden University, focusing on Chinese domestic digital technology policy, as well as China's growing importance in global digital affairs. He is also a co-founder of DigiChina, a joint initiative with Stanford University and New America.

Rui Ma has over fifteen years of experience in investment banking and investing, spanning seed stage to pre-IPO investing, and spent eight of those years working across multiple industries including real estate and media as well as technology in Shanghai and Beijing. She is now a China tech analyst at Tech Buzz China.