Shaping the Digital Governance and Emerging Tech Policy Landscape in Asia

On May 27, 2021, NBR held a briefing on how the United States can develop domestic and foreign policy to augment its leadership and competitiveness in the booming global digital economy. Building rules and principles that govern digital interaction requires diplomatic coordination with key partners and aligning domestic laws premised on shared values and objectives. Experts discussed the approaches of two digital leaders and key democratic allies—South Korea and Japan—to issues of data governance, standards, privacy regulations, and digital infrastructure connectivity.

The goals of this session were to harness allies’ experiences and perspectives to inform the U.S. legislative approach, and to examine prospects for multilateral coordination to create a digital order in the Asia-Pacific. The session addressed issues critical to legislative work of foreign affairs, science and technology, commerce, finance, and energy committees. The moderator allowed ample time for staffers engage directly with the panelists to ask questions related to their work.

Participants

Discussants

Mireya Solís, Director, Center for East Asia Policy Studies and
Knight Chair in Japanese Studies, The Brookings Institution

Clara Gillispie, Senior Advisor, The National Bureau of Asian Research; Visiting International Fellow, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)

Moderator

Joshua Nezam, Director, Congressional Affairs, The National Bureau of Asian Research