The emergence of new institutional forms in global data governance reflects a broader transformation in the governance of digital trade. Rather than converging toward a single treaty-based regime, the field is increasingly characterized by fragmentation, functional differentiation, and the proliferation of coordination platforms. Within this evolving landscape, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Data Organization (WDO) represent two distinct yet complementary institutional responses to the challenges of cross-border data governance. A comparative analysis of these frameworks reveals not only differences in institutional design, but also a deeper shift from normative coordination toward operational orchestration.
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Zhou, Y. (2026) Digital Trade Governance Models: Comparing APEC and the World Data Organization. Journal of Social Development and History, 2(3), 27-31.
