Conference attendees participate in a discussion in SBSG 1517
  • November 9, 2026

  • International conference at UC Irvine brings together scholars and policy practitioners to examine U.S.–China AI competition, digital finance and global governance

    • -----

On November 3, scholars, policy practitioners and industry experts from across North America gathered at UC Irvine for the Fifth Conference on Digital Governance in China to examine how artificial intelligence, technological competition and digital financial innovation are reshaping the global order.

Hosted by the Long U.S.–China Institute in partnership with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and the China Institute at the University of Alberta, the conference brought international and interdisciplinary perspectives to pressing questions of technological competition and global governance.

Bill Maurer, UC Irvine School of Social Sciences dean and professor of anthropology and law, welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of sustaining international scholarly collaboration amid growing geopolitical tensions.

The first panel, "U.S.–China AI Competition and the Role of Middle Powers," explored the intersection of technological competition, national security and international relations. Scholars and policy experts examined how countries such as Canada and Japan are navigating the strategic and economic implications of intensifying U.S.–China competition, and what these dynamics mean for the future of global governance.

The second panel, "New Trends in Global Digital Assets," turned to the evolving landscape of digital finance and its implications for international financial governance. Erin Lockwood, UC Irvine assistant professor of political science, brought her insights on cross-border digital assets, their impact on financial markets and institutions. Ziyue Zhou, a visiting scholar from Nanjing University affiliated with UC Irvine's Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion (IMTFI), shared her research on China's digital currency, the e-CNY.

The conference also featured experts from Canadian research institutions, U.S. policy organizations and the financial technology sector, connecting academic scholarship with policy and industry experience.

The event underscored the Long U.S.–China Institute's commitment to fostering international partnerships, interdisciplinary research and informed dialogue on issues shaping U.S.–China relations and the wider world.

-Ann Beijie Tang, UC Irvine Long U.S.-China Institute

 

Related News Items

Archive

Connect with us: