When: Wednesday 19 March 2025 at 4–5.30pm 
Where: 139 Boardroom, 25 Bute Gardens
 
Abstract: Existing studies debate whether recentralisation under Xi Jinping has decreased or increased local innovation, but they overlook how political imperatives shape the nature and quality of innovation itself. This article introduces the concept of ‘loyalty-driven innovation’ and, drawing on interview data, policy documents, and academic sources collected from 2019 to 2024, uses the case study of the ‘Internet Plus Government Services’ reform to analyse the impact of recentralisation on local innovation. The article argues that, in the context of recentralisation, local innovation may exist in form but is often ineffective in substance, primarily serving to demonstrate political loyalty to the central government. These findings offer new insights into the study of local innovation and governance in China.
 
Short Bio: Huang Yazhuo is a PhD Researcher at the Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University. Her research focuses on Chinese government and politics, digital governance, and data governance. She has published 20 peer-reviewed articles in Chinese academic journals, including Chinese Public Administration, Journal of Public Management, and Nankai Journal. She served as the principal investigator of the 2021 Youth Project of the High-end Science and Technology Innovation Think Tank under the China Association for Science and Technology, leading a study on the challenges, opportunities, and development strategies of intelligent algorithms in social governance. She has received numerous academic honors, including being recognized as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Graduate Students at Nankai University, the university’s highest academic distinction for postgraduate students.

The Scottish Centre for China Research is grateful for the support of the MacFie Bequest for its seminar series.

For further information, contact Professor Jane Duckett <jane.duckett@glasgow.ac.uk>

First published: 18 March 2025

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