The Digital Silk Road (DSR) is the digital infrastructure component of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013 to enhance connectivity between China and partner countries. It includes deployment of 5G networks, fiber optic cables, satellite communications, and data center facilities to support cross-border digital trade, e-commerce, and financial integration, including potential use of China's Digital Yuan. [1]
The DSR has expanded China's technological presence internationally through market engagement and diplomatic outreach. China's approach has evolved from providing telecommunications equipment to offering broader technology partnerships encompassing smart cities, cloud infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. [2]
In the Gulf region, countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have integrated Chinese firms such as Huawei, ZTE, Alibaba Cloud, and CSCEC Middle East into national digital transformation agendas, supporting smart city development, AI deployment, and sovereign cloud services. Chinese vendors are adapting to complex regulatory, security, and operational environments, emphasizing technology localization, governance co-creation, and resilience strategies to sustain influence amid China–U.S. competition. [3]
In the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Chinese technology companies have established significant market presence, particularly following the 2022 Ukrainian crisis when they expanded their foothold in high technology markets across member states including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, with Armenia being a notable exception. [4] The 2018 EAEU-China Agreement created a framework for developing cooperation in digitalization and technology, facilitating Chinese companies' deployment of telecommunications infrastructure and smart city projects across the region. [4]
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