The article examines the understanding of digital sovereignty that has developed in the countries of the European Union and the People’s Republic of China. A general vision of digital sovereignty that has developed in France is presented. It is emphasized that this country was the first to have used this concept (author — P. Bellanger, in 1997). The development of the Internet on the principles of complete freedom was considered as a hidden expansion of American giants of the technology industry, as a new form of colonialism that acquired a digital shell. Such ideas influence the French law-making policy, which led to the emergence of the Law of October 7, 2016 No. 2016-1321 on the digital republic and the creation of the Institute of Digital Sovereignty. The experience of Germany, where the Center for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration was created, is studied. It is designed to analyze the capabilities of the IT market to provide digital solutions for public administration. The German approach is based on the need to create competitive principles, which will prevent dependence on digital service providers. At the same time, the need to rely on open-source digital solutions is emphasized. The general characteristics of the «European digital sovereignty» promoted at the level of the European Union are presented, as well as the difficulties of implementing this concept. The general understanding of digital sovereignty developed in the People’s Republic of China is outlined, which is based on the implementation of national control over: data; software; hardware; digital services; network infrastructure; standards and rules of digital interaction. It is emphasized that in China this concept is considered only in relation to the state as a whole, its protective nature is emphasized, as well as the balance and moderation in regulation.