Digital literacy is a critical competency for 21st-century citizens, underpinning inclusive digital transformation and innovation and sustainable societal development. This study aims to inform the construction of a robust digital literacy framework for China via a comparative analysis of paradigmatic models from the European Union (EU), the United States (U.S.), and Singapore. An assessment of China’s current landscape reveals notable progress through top-down policies and grassroots practices, yet identifies a key gap in a unified, operational competency framework. The study concludes that a successful Chinese framework requires strategic integration of international insights with deep contextualization within China’s socio-cultural fabric and sustainability goals.
Zou et al. (2026) studied this question.