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Policy Learning in Governing Complex Technologies: The Pendulum Swing of China's Central Government

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2024

Ziying Jiang  and
Kaidong Feng
Ziying Jiang
Affiliation:
School of Public Affairs, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
Kaidong Feng*
Affiliation:
School of Government, Peking University, Beijing, China
*
Corresponding author: Kaidong Feng; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

As an emerging science and technology (EST), stem cell therapy presents a highly dynamic and complex landscape, posing significant challenges for the Chinese central government and requiring substantial policy learning. Delving into the realm beyond the traditional literature on Chinese government's policy learning, which primarily focuses on conventional policy areas and local government experiments, this article examines how the technical and interest complexities, along with the fragmented authoritarian structure of central departments, influence policy learning in the field of stem cell therapy. The findings reveal a recurring pendulum swing pattern, wherein top decision makers direct central departments to engage in multiple rounds of policy swings, navigating between developmental objectives and regulatory objectives.

摘要

摘要

作为一种新兴科技，干细胞疗法具有高度动态性和复杂性。这给中国政府的治理带来了挑战，也对其政策学习提出了更高的要求。中国政府政策学习的相关研究大多聚焦于传统政策领域和地方政策试验。本文则旨在分析技术复杂性和利益复杂性以及中央职能部门的碎片化威权结构如何影响了干细胞疗法领域的政策学习。研究发现，中国政府的政策学习呈现出钟摆模式，即主管领导部门引导中央职能部门在发展目标和监管目标之间反复调整以实现政策调适。

Keywords

Chinese government policypolicy learningpendulum swing patternstem cell therapy中国政府政策政策学习钟摆模式干细胞疗法
Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 259 , September 2024 , pp. 727 - 743
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London

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