Embracing a Secure Cyberspace

While many countries in the world are still in the process of making the switch to the 5G wireless telecommunication technology, the 6G technology is already here. The 2022 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, which was convened in Wuzhen, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on 9-11 November, saw the introduction of a series of cutting-edge technologies that can change the way people live, such as human-computer interaction, industrial Internet and cybersecurity, besides the 6G.

The summit, which has been held annually in Wuzhen for nine years, represents the trend of the global Internet development, and has now become an authoritative platform for unveiling the latest achievements and breakthroughs in Internet innovation.

In his congratulatory letter to the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that accelerated efforts should be made to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, contributing wisdom and strength to world peace and development as well as to the progress of human civilisation.

According to the China Internet Development Report 2022 released at the summit, China’s digital economy reached 45.5 trillion yuan ($6.4 trillion) in 2021, up 16.2 percent year on year. With a share of 39.8 percent of China’s GDP, it plays a critical role in stabilising the country’s economic development.

Building a community with a shared future in cyberspace has become a new trend in the Internet development. As the world’s second-largest economy with the largest Internet population of 1.03 billion users, China is making its contribution in this field based on its global governance philosophy of extensive consultation, joint construction and shared benefits.

China encourages and supports its enterprises to participate in the Internet-related infrastructure construction projects in other countries, especially developing countries, facilitating these countries to access the digital information superhighway. It has established bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms with 23 countries on five continents, facilitating global coordinated development of cross-border logistics and mobile payment; it also works with the world community to improve digital security and privacy, making joint efforts to crack down on the Internetbased crimes and Internet-based terrorism.

Cyberspace is a place all human beings can access, and its future should be determined by people all over the world. To build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, it is important to bridge the digital divide.

Statistics from the International Telecommunication Union show that nearly 3 billion people globally have no access to the Internet, most of whom are from developing countries. Bridging digital divide is the urgent task for the world communities, and in this regard, developed countries and regions should shoulder more responsibilities.

China is doing its part. Under China’s support, South Africa has established the first 5G network for commercial use in Africa; more than 30 African countries have access to China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. China is joining hands with other countries to embark on the right path of digital development featuring shared digital resources, dynamic digital economy, accurate and highly efficient digital governance, prosperous digital cultural development, secure cyberspace and win-for-all digital cooperation.