Control over communications is a crucial concomitant of political-economic power. China’s emergence as an important force within the global capitalist system is thus giving rise to a substantially greater presence in the system of international communications. A series of initiatives, briefly inventoried here, aims to win a place for Chinese interests across the entire spectrum of media and telecommunications systems, spanning hardware, software and services. How should we interpret these in the context of China’s rise?
Chinese initiatives in communications and information are best apprehended neither as a developing country’s attempt to redress glaring imbalances in the global communications system, though of course they contain traces of this, nor as a current threat to the global dominance of the United States, though over the long term this might change, much as the US challenged and ultimately unseated British control over international communications. Rather, they are seen here as contributing to the ongoing structural reconfiguration of the political economy of transnational capitalism. The likely outcome is greater, rather than lesser, instability.
Ahmad, S. (2004a) ‘A Billion Three, But Not for Me’ , Economist: A Survey of Business in China, 20 March: 6 .
2.
Ahmad, S. (2004b) ‘Behind the Mask’ , Economist: A Survey of Business in China, 20 March: 3 .
3.
Ahmad, S. (2004c) ‘Bulls in a China Shop’ , Economist: A Survey of Business in China, 20 March: 9-10 .
4.
Ahmad, S. (2004d) ‘We are the Champions’ , Economist: A Survey of Business in China, 20 March: 14-15 .
5.
Altman, D. (2003) ‘China: Partner, Rival or Both?’ , New York Times, 2 March, Section 3: 1, 11 .
6.
Associated Press (2003) ‘China Becomes Biggest Exporter to Japan’ , New York Times,19 February: W1 .
7.
Baglole, J. (2004) ‘Citibank Takes Risk by Issuing Cards in China’ , Wall Street Journal, 10 March: C1, C2 .
8.
Batson, A. (2003) ‘China’s Cellphone Output Soars’ , Wall Street Journal, 31 July: B3 .
9.
Bolande, H.A. (2003) ‘Handsets From China Driving Down Prices’ , Wall Street Journal, 30 January: B6 .
10.
Bolande, H.A. and Berman, D. (2002) ‘China Netcom Group to Buy Network’ , Wall Street Journal, 18 November: A3 .
11.
Bradsher, K. (2003) ‘Chinese Computer Maker Plans a Push Overseas’ , New York Times, 22 February: B1, B3 .
12.
Brenner, R. (2002) The Boom and the Bubble. London: Verso .
13.
Buckley, C. (2004) ‘Let a Thousand Ideas Flower: China is a New Hotbed of Research’ , New York Times, 13 September: C1, C4 .
14.
Buckman, R. (2003) ‘Computer Giant in China Sets Sights on US’ , Wall Street Journal, 18 June: B1, B4 .
15.
Buckman, R. and Wang, J. (2004) ‘PCCW Nears Deal to Sell Stake in Core Asset to China Netcom’ , Wall Street Journal, 25 August: B7 .
16.
Chan, J.M. and Qiu, J.L. (2002) ‘China: Media Liberalization under Authoritarianism’,in M. Price , B. Bouzumilowicz and S. Verhulst (eds) Media Reform: Democratizing the Media, Democratizing the State, pp. 27-47. London: Routledge .
17.
Chaudhury, S. (1984) ‘Indian Bourgeoisie and Foreign Capital: A Study of Congress Policy towards Foreign Capital, 1931-1961’ , Social Scientist (New Delhi)12(5): 3-22 .
18.
Chen, K. (2003a) ‘Now, a New Way Cellphones are Hot in China’ , Wall Street Journal, 22 September: B1, B3 .
19.
Chen, K. (2003b) ‘China Sets Own Wireless Encryption Standard’ , Wall Street Journal,3 December: B4 .
20.
Chen, K. (2003c) ‘China Sets Limits on Wireless Sales’ , Wall Street Journal, 10 December: B6 .
21.
‘China and a New Space Race’ (2003) Chronicle of Higher Education, 26 September: B6 .
22.
‘China Rolls Out DVD Alternative Called the EVD’ (2003) Wall Street Journal, 19 November: B8 .
23.
‘China Sets Curbs on Money and Credit Growth’ (2004) Wall Street Journal, 25 March: A15 .
24.
Communist Party of China (2002) ‘Constitution of the Communist Party of China Amended and Adopted at the 16th CPC National Congress on November 14’. [www.china.org.cn], consulted February 2003.
25.
Dean, J. (2004) ‘Long a Low-Tech Power, China Sets its Sights on Chip Making’ , Wall Street Journal, 17 February: A1, A16 .
26.
Dolven, B. and Saywell, T. (2004) ‘China Goes for Private Lessons’ , Wall Street Journal, 6 January: A17 .
27.
Drucker, J. (2004) ‘Global Talk Gets Cheaper’ , Wall Street Journal, 11 March: B1, B2 .
28.
Drucker, J. , Pringle, D. and Ramstad, E. (2004) ‘Pricing Pressure Squeezes Cellphone Makers World-Wide’ , Wall Street Journal, 15 January: B1, B6 .
29.
Du Boff, R.B. (2001) ‘NAFTA and Economic Integration in North America: Regional or Global?’, in V. Mosco and D. Schiller (eds) Continental Order? Integrating North America for Cyber-Capitalism, pp. 35-63. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield .
30.
Engardio, P. , Bernstein A. and Kripalani, M. (2003) ‘The New Global Job Shift’ , BusinessWeek online, 3 February 2003 [www.businessweek.com], retrieved 8 March 2004.
31.
Fong, M. (2003) ‘China Has Much to Game Going Online’ , Wall Street Journal, 5 November: B4B .
32.
Fong, M. (2004a) ‘China Netcom Sets Its Sights Abroad’ , Wall Street Journal,26 February: B5 .
33.
Fong, M. (2004b) ‘The Spam-China Link’ , Wall Street Journal, 19 March: B1, B2 .
34.
Fong, M. (2004c) ‘Tom Online to Make Nasdaq Debut’ , Wall Street Journal, 10 March: C16 .
35.
Garten, J.E. (2004) ‘Wal-Mart Gives Globalism a Bad Name’ , Business Week, 8 March: 24 .
Gold, A.R. , Leibowitz, G. and Perkins, A. (2003) ‘A Computer Legend in the Making’ , McKinsey Quarterly, March: 1, 7 .
38.
Guth, R.A. (2003) ‘Asia to Develop Software to Rely Less on Microsoft’ , Wall Street Journal, 17 November: B4 .
39.
Hale, D. and Hale, L.H. (2003) ‘China Takes Off’ , Foreign Affairs82(6): 36-53 .
40.
Harvey, F. (2002) ‘China Registers Its Eager Interest in Running of Internet’ , Financial Times, 26 November: 6 .
41.
Harwood, J. (2004) ‘Competitive Edge of US is at Stake in the R&D Arena’ , Wall Street Journal, 17 March: A4 .
42.
He, Z. (2000) ‘Chinese Communist Party Press in a Tug-of-War: A Political-Economy Analysis of the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily’, in C.C. Lee (ed.) Power, Money and Media: Communication Patterns and Bureaucratic Control in Cultural China, pp. 112-151. Chicago, IL: Northwestern University Press .
43.
Hsu, C. (2001) International Bureau Report, ‘2000 Section 43.82 Circuit Status Data’. Washington, DC: Federal Communications Commission International Bureau , June.
44.
Hsu, C. (2003) International Bureau Report, ‘2002 Section 43.82 Circuit Status Data’. Washington, DC: Federal Communications Commission, International Bureau , December.
45.
Hutzler, C. (2003a) ‘China Launches Manned Spacecraft’ , Wall Street Journal,15 October: A2 .
46.
Hutzler, C. (2003b) ‘China’s Space Program is no Small Potatoes’ , Wall Street Journal,15 September: B1, B3 .
47.
Hutzler, C. (2003c) ‘China’s Top Cop Wields Nightstick More Subtly than Beijing Used To’ , Wall Street Journal, 13 March: A11 .
48.
Hutzler, C. (2004) ‘In China, Turf Battle Rages’ , Wall Street Journal, 29 June: A12 .
49.
Ip, G. (2003) ‘Trade Gap Widens to Record Level’ , Wall Street Journal, 21 February: A2 .
50.
Ishibashi, K. and Dvorak, P. (2004) ‘H-P to Sell PCs Running on Linux in Asian Market’ , Wall Street Journal, 17 March: B5 .
51.
Jiang, Z.M. (1997) ‘Hold High the Great Banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory for an All-Round Advancement of the Cause of Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics into the 21st Century’ , report delivered at the 15th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on September 12 [www.china.org.cn/english], consulted March 2003.
52.
Jin, D.Y. (2004) ‘Political Economy of Communication Industry Reorganization: Republic of Korea, 1987-2002’, PhD dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
53.
Kahn, G. (2003) ‘Yo, Yao: What’s up with Chinese Ads in Texas?’Wall Street Journal, 7 February: B1, B4 .
54.
Karmin, C. and Richardson, K. (2003) ‘Sliding Dollar’s Fate May Be Decided in Asia’ , Wall Street Journal, 20 January: C1, C12 .
55.
Karmin, K. , Dvorak, P. , Day, P. and Sesit, M.R. (2004) ‘Japan Pays for Low US Interest Rates’ , Wall Street Journal, 18 March: C1, C2 .
56.
Karnitschnig, M. (2004) ‘Vaunted German Engineers Face Competition from China’ , Wall Street Journal, 15 July: A1, A8 .
57.
King, Jr., N. (2004) ‘China Urged to Drop Tech Rule’ , Wall Street Journal, 4 March: B4 .
58.
Kynge, J. and Dickie, M. (2004) ‘Chinese PM Warns of Threat to Rapid Growth’ , Financial Times, 15 March: 1 .
59.
Labaton, S. (2003) ‘Adviser to US Aided Maker of Satellites’ , New York Times, 29 March: C1, C 4 .
60.
Latour, A. and Pottinger, M. (2002) ‘Can Li Ka-Shing Make New Phones Ring Up Big Profit?’ , Wall Street Journal, 20 November: A1, A13 .
61.
Lau, J. and Cameron, D. (2003) ‘TCL May Float 25% of its TV Joint Venture’ , Financial Times, 4 November: 17 .
62.
Lawrence, S.V. (2002) ‘Broadcast News, Chinese Style’ , Far Eastern Economic Review, 2 May: 30-31 .
63.
Leahy, J. (2003) ‘Saved Asia Netcom Aims for Break-Even’ , Financial Times, 12 March: 18 .
64.
Leahy, J. and Lau, J. (2004) ‘Frontier of a New Global Contest’ , Financial Times, 1 June: 3 .
65.
Lederer, E.M. (2003) ‘Official Says China Will Soon Surpass US to Become World’s Largest Internet and Information Economy’, Associated Press , 25 January [lexisnexis.com/universe/], consulted March 2003.
66.
Leggett, K. and Chen, K. (2003) ‘For China, Question of Debt is Crucial’ , Wall Street Journal, 20 January: A2 .
67.
Leithauser, T. (2003) ‘Global Crossing Buyout Gets European OK; Companies Await Approval from CFIUS, FCC’ , Telecommunications Reports Daily, 17 January: 5-6 .
68.
Li, C.P. (2003) ‘The Crisis in the Countryside’, in C. Wang (ed.) One China, Many Paths, pp. 198-218. London: Verso .
69.
‘Losing Its Balance’ (2004) Economist, 20 March: 12 .
70.
Mackay, A. (2003) ‘Tom.com Buys Stake in AOL China TV Unit’ , Financial Times, 3 July: 18 .
71.
Murray, M. (2003) ‘GE’s Immelt Starts Renovations on the House that Jack Built’ , Wall Street Journal,6 February: A1, A6 .
72.
Newbold, J.R. (2003) ‘Aiding the Enemy: Imposing Liability on US Corporations for Selling China Internet Tools to Restrict Human Rights’ , Journal of Law, Technology and Policy No. 2 (Fall), [www.jtp.uiuc.edu].
73.
Pei, M. (2003) ‘A Docile China is Bad for Global Peace’ , Financial Times, 12 March: 13 .
74.
Pottinger, M. (2002) ‘Xinhua Seeks Asia News Unit Owned by French Press Agency’ , Wall Street Journal, 11 December: B5 .
75.
Pottinger, M. (2004) ‘China’s Premier Lists Concerns about Economy’ , Wall Street Journal, 15 March: A15 .
76.
Pringle, D. and Gopalan, N. (2003) ‘China’s Huawei Wins 3G Contract’ , Wall Street Journal, 19 February: B2 .
77.
‘Private Universities May Profit in China’ (2003) Chronicle of Higher Education, 14 February: A41 .
78.
Ramstad, E. (2003a) ‘China’s Cellphone Market Has Even More Room to Grow’ , Wall Street Journal, 20 October: B7 .
79.
Ramstad, E. (2003b) ‘China Has Cellphone Hangover’ , Wall Street Journal,2 September: B10 .
80.
Ramstad, E. (2003c) ‘Chinadotcom Reshapes Itself’ , Wall Street Journal, 12 December: B4 .
81.
Ramstad, E. (2003d) ‘China’s Makers of Cellphones Thrive at Home’ , Wall Street Journal, 21 August: B1, B4 .
82.
Ramstad, E. (2003e) ‘In Tech, China Is Setting the Standard’ , Wall Street Journal, 10 September: A22 .
83.
Ramstad, E. (2004) ‘Chip that Speaks Languages of Asia Levels Playing Field’ , Wall Street Journal,9 February: B8 .
84.
Ramstad, E. and Delaney, K.J. (2003) ‘Thomson to Create Venture with China’s TCL to Make TVs’ , Wall Street Journal,3 November: B4 .
85.
Ramstad, E. , Gopalan, N. and Sing, C.K. (2004) ‘Hutchison Whampoa Cellular Service Takes Off’ , Wall Street Journal, 19 March: B4 .
86.
Rhoads, C. and Hutzler, C. (2004) ‘China’s Telecom Forays Squeeze Struggling Rivals’ , Wall Street Journal,8 September: A1, A13 .
87.
Romero, S. (2003) ‘Hong Kong Company May Alter Deal to Buy Global Crossing’ , New York Times, 1 March: B2 .
88.
Schenker, J.L. (2004) ‘US Loses Dominance in Global Telecoms’ , International Herald-Tribune, 24 August [http://www.iht.com/articles/535472.htm], consulted September 2004.
89.
Sender, H. (2002) ‘Asia Global Crossing Bid Signals Chinese Arrival as Merger Players’ , Wall Street Journal, 19 November: C5 .
90.
Shi, N.D. (2003) ‘Shi Guangsheng on Achievements of China’s Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation’, [www.china.org.cn], consulted February 2003.
91.
Shi, T. (2003) ‘AOL Time Warner/News Corp. Deal: Win-win or not?’, [http://journalism.berkeley.edu/projects/asiaprojects/shi.html], consulted January 2003.
92.
‘Slim Pickings’ (2004) Economist, 20 March: 64 .
93.
Thurm, S. (2003a) ‘China’s Huawei Halts US Sales Amid Cisco Claim’ , Wall Street Journal, 7 February: B3 .
94.
Thurm, S. (2003b) ‘China’s Huawei, 3Com to Form Venture to Compete with Cisco’ , Wall Street Journal, 20 March: B5 .
95.
Tso, T.C. (2004) ‘Agriculture and the Future’ , Nature428(6979), Supplement 11 March: 215 .
96.
UNCTAD (United Nations Commission on Trade and Development) (2002a) Trade and Development Report 2002. New York: United Nations .
97.
UNCTAD (United Nations Commission on Trade and Development) (2002b) World Investment Report 2002. New York: United Nations .
98.
UNCTAD (United Nations Commission on Trade and Development) (2004) World Investment Report 2004. New York: United Nations .
99.
US Department of the Treasury (2004) ‘Major Foreign Holders of Treasury Securities’, [www.treasury.gov/tic/mfh.txt] and [www.treasury.gov/tuc/mfhhis01.txt], consulted March 2004.
100.
US FCC (Federal Communications Commission) (2001) ‘International Bureau Releases 2000 Year-End Circuit Status Report for US Facilities-Based International Carriers Reflecting Steady Growth in Capacity Use’, press release, 29 June.
101.
US FCC (Federal Communications Commission) (2003) ‘International Bureau Releases 2002 Year-End Circuit Status Report for US Facilities-Based International Carriers’,press release, 24 December.
102.
Williams, F. (2004) ‘China “Set to Join League of Biggest Direct Investors Abroad”’ , Financial Times, 5 May: 5 .
103.
Wonacott, P. (2003) ‘US Pursues a Trade Ally in Beijing’ , Wall Street Journal, 18 February: A20, A21 .
104.
Wonacott, P. (2004) ‘Global Aims of China’s Car Makers Put Existing Ties at Risk’ , Wall Street Journal, 24 August: B1, B3 .
105.
Wonacott, P. , White, J.B. and Shirouzu, N. (2004) ‘Car Companies Jockey for Slice of China Market’ , Wall Street Journal,8 June: A13, A15 .
106.
Wu, R. (2004) ‘Making an Impact’ , Nature428(6979), Supplement 11 March: 206 .
107.
Xiao, X.H. (2003) ‘Industrializing Education?’, in C. Wang (ed.) One China, Many Paths, pp. 237-249. London: Verso .
108.
Yamada, M. (2003) ‘Asian Countries Seek Windows Alternative’ , Wall Street Journal, 2 September: B10 .
Yau, W. (2002) ‘TV Makers Win Tariff Fight: Trade Breakthrough Clears Way for Cheap Chinese Exports to Flood European Union Markets’ , Business Post, 5 September: 1 .
111.
Ying, H. (2004) Peacock Cries at the Three Gorges. London: Marion Boyars .
112.
Zhao, Y. (1998) Media, Market, and Democracy in China. Urbana: University of Illinois Press .
113.
Zhao, Y. (2000) ‘Caught in the Web: The Public Interest and the Battle for Control of China’s Information Superhighway’ , Info2(1), February.
114.
Zhao, Y. (2003) ‘Transnational Capital and the Chinese State Communication Industries in a Fractured Society’ , The Public/Javnost10(4): 53-74 .
115.
Zhao, Y. and Schiller, D. (2001) ‘Dances With Wolves? China’s Integration with Digital Capitalism’ , Info3(2): 137-151 .
