The Philippines might be struggling against China’s encroachment in the South China Sea, but in the digital world, the two countries are locked in an embrace. China’s so-called “digital silk road” is driven by the view that it can help countries such as the Philippines overcome the “digital gaps” that prevent their economies from growing.
The selling points for the Digital Silk Road might be vague, but there is no denying that the Philippines needs all the help it can get to improve its digital infrastructure and digital economy. According to the unhappy conclusion of a Philippines’ Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department report, an uneven and digitally underdeveloped landscape persists, stemming from infrastructure insufficiency, a low level of internet literacy, and the high cost of connectivity.
