Blockchain as a Breakthrough in Technological Innovation: Policy Narratives and Future Imaginaries of China’s Strategies
Jinghong Xu, Difan Guo, Yue Hu, Yuhang Yuan · Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media · 2024
This study investigates China’s blockchain strategies through the lens of techno-developmentalism and sociotechnical imaginaries. Discourse analysis on 103 policy documents reveals that China has defined three main storylines of blockchain strategies in terms of usability, legitimacy, and applicability, thereby opening diverse imaginations for policy actors. By constructing a top-down framework for technology adoption, China has integrated blockchain into its established tradition of techno-developmentalism, highlighting the alignment between state-led governance and technological innovation. Furthermore, the appropriation of the blockchain concept by policy actors indicates that blockchain functions both as a technological innovation and a policy tool to promote the interests of specific sectors. These findings provide a reference for technical management and policy planning for various stakeholders in other countries.