Digital Governance

New Features of Digital Governance in Mainland China and Hong Kong

Monday, November 17, 2025 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM CST (UTC+08:00)

Public Event: Seminar (In Person)

Speakers:

Nov

The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) of Waterloo, Canada, and the Centre on Contemporary China and the World (CCCW) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) are hosting a public, in-person seminar focusing on the evolving features of digital governance in mainland China and Hong Kong.

Over the past three years, the rapid advancement of two emerging technologies — artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assets (driven by distributed ledger technologies such as blockchain) — has spurred significant global market growth and drawn increasing attention to digital governance worldwide. Since the beginning of this year, a type of AI arms race between the United States and China, alongside the regulatory developments surrounding digital assets, particularly stablecoins in Hong Kong and the United States, has further intensified.

CIGI’s annual conference series on digital governance in China has previously explored themes such as data governance, AI governance, emerging technologies, digital trade and digital assets. This year, we turn our focus to timely and targeted subtopics that reflect the dynamic landscape of digital governance in both mainland China and Hong Kong. Built on a strong foundation at HKU, the CCCW has established itself as a global hub for research on governance in China and beyond. CIGI is delighted to collaborate with CCCW in further shaping the agenda on digital governance in both mainland China and Hong Kong.

The event will bring together scholars and experts from universities, research institutes, the technology sector, business and government in mainland China and Hong Kong and Canada to discuss the development and governance of AI and digital assets, particularly stablecoins in mainland China and Hong Kong, and explore their global implications.

This event will take place at HKU and is open to the public.

Format

The seminar will consist of two panel sessions:

Panel 1: Global Stablecoins Competition and Hong Kong’s Role

Following significant regulatory developments, namely, the signing of the GENIUS Act into law by US President Donald J. Trump on July 18, 2025, and the implementation of the Stablecoins Bill in Hong Kong on August 1, 2025, China has increasingly recognized the strategic implications of global stablecoin frameworks. Discussions are under way regarding the potential issuance of offshore renminbi-backed stablecoins by China, with Hong Kong poised to play a pivotal role in this initiative. This panel will examine Hong Kong’s strategic position in China’s efforts to enter the global stablecoin competition and its broader role in shaping the future of digital assets globally.

Panel 2: China’s Industry-Specific AI Development Path in the Context of Global AI Competition

China’s competition with the United States in the AI domain has entered a new phase, particularly following the rise of DeepSeek in January 2025, which significantly boosted national confidence in China’s AI capabilities. China holds certain advantages in this space, including a vast talent pool and strong momentum in applying AI across various industries. This panel will explore how these strengths might evolve in the wake of DeepSeek’s emergence — especially in sectors such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, health care and finance. It will also address how China’s regulatory and governance frameworks are shaping the trajectory of industry-specific AI development.

Agenda

9:30–9:40 a.m.: Opening Remarks and Keynote

Cheng Li, Director, CCCW
Paul Samson, President, CIGI

9:40–10:40 a.m.: Panel 1: Global Stablecoins Competition and Hong Kong’s Role

Moderator: Bo Tang, Head, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Institute for Financial Research

Speakers:

James A. Fok, Chief Commercial Officer, CMU OmniClear; Distinguished Fellow, CCCW
Tao Wang, Head of Asia Economic Research and Chief China Economist at UBS Investment Bank; Non-resident Senior Fellow, CCCW
Sean Lee, Co-founder, IDA; Senior Advisor, Crypto Council for Innovation

10:40–10:50 a.m.: Health Break

10:50–11:50 a.m.: Panel 2: China’s Industry-Specific AI Development Path in the Context of Global AI Competition

Moderator: S. Yash Kalash, Senior Fellow, CIGI

Speakers:

Jinghan Zeng, Professor, Department of Public and International Affairs, City University of HongKong
Alex He, Senior Fellow, CIGI
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor in Philosophy, HKU; Fellow, CCCW

11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Wrap Up and Closing Remarks

Paul Samson, President, CIGI

Event Speakers

Paul Samson

Paul Samson is president of CIGI. He has 30 years of experience across a range of policy issues with partners from around the world. He is a former senior government official and also served for many years as co-chair of the principal G20 working group on the global economy.

Alex He

Xingqiang (Alex) He is a CIGI senior fellow. Alex is an expert on digital governance in China, the Group of Twenty (G20), China and global economic governance, domestic politics in China and their role in China’s foreign economic policy making, and Canada-China economic relations.

S. Yash Kalash

S. Yash Kalash is a senior fellow at CIGI and an expert in strategy, public policy, digital technology and financial services. He has a distinguished track record advising governments and the private sector on emerging technologies.