China and the Social Credit System

During the expert session, Rogier Creemers engages the audience through methods like a Q&A session, live demonstrations of Sesame Credit and Alibaba systems, and using the Mentimeter app for interactive exercises on privacy concerns and implications for Western societies. These activities help the audience understand the complexities of the social credit system in China and inspire them to consider its potential applications and challenges in different contexts.

• Uncovering China's Financial Innovation: Gain insight into how Sesame Credit, launched by Ant Financial, plays a pivotal role in China's transition from an export-driven economy to one focused on domestic financial development.
• Understanding the Components of a Sesame Credit Score: Learn about the five primary factors (personal identity data, spending behavior, compliance with platform rules, payment history, and utilization of third-party services) that determine an individual's creditworthiness in China's unique system.
• Balancing Progress and Concerns: Reflect on the potential benefits and challenges of social credit systems, including societal trust, privacy concerns, and ethical considerations, as we explore their implications for both China and the Western world.

In this expert session, Rogier Creemers delves into the intricacies of China's economic growth and the role of Sesame Credit within its financial system. Over the past three decades, China has seen remarkable progress, transitioning from a national product per capita of approximately $50 in 1992 to around $2000 last year. As China enters a new phase of development, focusing on domestic finance, Sesame Credit, launched by Ant Financial, emerges as an essential factor.

 

Sesame Credit, which evaluates creditworthiness based on individual behavior within the system, serves a dual purpose: determining authenticity and assessing potential fraudulent activities. This score is calculated from five primary components: personal identity data, spending behavior, compliance with platform rules, payment history, and utilization of third-party services. While Sesame Credit's primary goal revolves around identifying genuine individuals, it also has various applications in everyday life, such as travel visas and rental agreements.

 

However, the use of these types of scores raises concerns about transparency and fairness, particularly regarding government application and potential political manipulation. Additionally, there are privacy issues and security risks associated with the vast amount of sensitive data being collected. Critics argue that effective implementation in such a large and complex country like China is challenging due to regional differences and technical difficulties.

 

Rogier Creemers raises questions about the applicability of social credit systems in other contexts, such as the Netherlands or while purchasing on Alibaba or traveling in China. He acknowledges privacy concerns regarding data collection and use by various entities, emphasizing the importance of individual control over their information. While Rogier acknowledges that creating a perfect society is impossible, he encourages learning from each other's societal complexities and finding ways to coexist with imperfections.
 

Chimerica - the Complex Entanglement between Beijing and Washington

The relationship between China and the United States is, without doubt, the most important axis between two countries in today’s world. This session will discuss how we got to where we are in the relationship today, and what can be expected of the future. We will discuss where the relationship might evolve from now, particularly with regard to contentious issues such as the status of Taiwan, the global digital landscape, and the likelihood of a new Cold War starting.

 

Cybersecurity and Data Protection in China

In China as elsewhere in the world, cybersecurity and data protection have become major topics of concern as daily life continues to digitize. Over the past few years, the Chinese government has issued a series of new laws, regulations and policies to counter the risks resulting from advancing technological adoption. These are often both more interventionist and innovative than initiatives in other countries, and will likely have a significant impact on the future development of digital regulation around the globe. This lecture will review how the Chinese government looks at cybersecurity, the specific steps that they have taken and how they combine to create a new model for governing the digital realm.