Global standards for critical and emerging digital technologies (CETs, such as 5G and AI) will play an increasingly crucial role in the adoption and governance of these technologies. In recent years, many countries/regions such as the US, China, and the EU have laid down standards strategies or industry policies, aiming to maintain or pursue global leadership in international standards-setting for CETs. Among them, China has stepped up its efforts in participating in the negotiation of global technology standards since around 2015. The US and the EU have enhanced their cooperation in technology standard setting through the US-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) framework and emphasised partnership with countries (such as Japan and South Korea) in line with shared democratic values. This webinar aims to facilitate dialogue and an exchange of views among leading policy analysts and industry experts from major players in international standards-setting—from the US, China, Europe and others. Panellists will discuss challenges to and solutions for international cooperation around global standardisation for selected CETs, as well as the consequences of non-cooperation in this area.

Chair/moderator

Prof. Robin Mansell FAcSS, FBA (Professor, Department of Media and Communications, LSE)

Speakers

Prof. Milton Mueller (Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the School of Public Policy and School of Cybersecurity and Privacy, United States)

Mr. Thomas Li (President of Industry Standardisation, Huawei, China)

Prof. Andrea Renda (Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels & Professor of Digital Policy of the European University Institute in Florence)

Dr. June Park (Fung Global Fellow of the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS) at Princeton University)

Dr. Scott Kennedy (Senior adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS))

Dr. Baisheng An (Associate Fellow at the China Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation (CAITEC) & former head of the Chinese delegation for the WTO negotiations on technical barriers and standardisation)

Ms Claire Milne MBE (senior visiting Fellow at the LSE, independent consultant on telecommunication policies, senior advisor for OXGS Digital Cluster)