This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the Digital Silk Road (DSR) initiative developed by China as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It explores the DSR not only as an economic development tool but also as a key geopolitical instrument in China's competition with the West, especially the United States, in the context of a global technological rivalry. The study emphasizes the complexity of the DSR, considering its multidimensional nature—economic, technological, political, and ideological. It also highlights the systemic fusion of public state interests and private technological corporations, a phenomenon shaping new forms of geopolitical influence and global digital governance. Special attention is given to Russia's strategic role in the DSR as a digital transit hub and partner, evaluating both opportunities and risks associated with deeper integration. Drawing on classical and modern geopolitical and economic theories, the paper aims to define the core features, actors, and consequences of the DSR and provide insight into potential models of cooperation in the evolving digital landscape.

Digital Silk Road, Belt and Road Initiative, China, geopolitical competition, digital sovereignty, technology transfer, digital infrastructure, United States, Russia, public-private partnerships, cyber geopolitics, digital economy, technological cold war, global governance, digital colonialism.

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