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Industrial Internet as a Governance Instrument: Intergovernmental Dynamics in China’s Manufacturing Digital Transformation
Mandarin presentation; bilingual Q&A
The Industrial Internet has been a major focus of China’s industrial policy under the national strategy of Made in China 2025. While existing research has emphasised its implications for industrial upgrading, its role as a governance instrument reshaping central–local relations remains understudied. Drawing on the concepts of ‘administrative subcontracting’ and ‘political tournament,’ this talk argues that Industrial Internet initiatives do not only pursue technological upgrading but also reorganise how mandates, resources, and information circulate across levels of government. Focusing on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT, 工信部) -affiliated ministerial research institutes (部属事业单位) as key intermediaries that interface with both central and local governments, the talk examines how these organisations translate central priorities into implementable local projects and how implementation signals travel back upward. In doing so, it highlights shifting information flows within China’s intergovernmental system and the governance implications of industrial digitalisation.
Zhihang Wang is a DPhil candidate at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford. He holds a BA from the George Washington University and an MSc from the University of Oxford. He has participated in research projects at the Institute of Industrial Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His research examines China’s industrial policy, with a particular focus on the government agencies and intergovernmental dynamics that shape policy design and implementation.
Date:
27 February 2026, 12:00
Venue:
Dickson Poon Building, Canterbury Road OX2 6LU
Venue Details:
Lucina Ho Seminar Room (first floor)
Speaker:
Zhihang Wang (University of Oxford)
Organising department:
Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Organisers:
Dr Yang Han (University of Oxford),
Professor Todd Hall (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
information@chinese.ox.ac.uk
Host:
Professor Todd Hall (University of Oxford)
Part of:
Mandarin Forum
Booking required?:
Not required
Cost:
Free
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Clare Orchard
