The International Cooperation Forum on the Digital Silk Road will be held in Chongqing from August 26 to 27, 2019.

“The 21st Century Digital Silk Road” was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. During the past two years, the digital silk road has helped millions in developing nations. In India, residents who speak minority languages are assisted in globalizing with the convenience of online-dictionary translation. Music enthusiasts in Africa share the experience of Internet music in China. Black tea of Sri Lanka and date palms of the UAE are offered all over the world. The examples are too numerous to mention.

The digital silk road is the combination of the development of digital economy and the “Belt and Road” Initiative, the support for the Initiative provided by digital technology, as well as the sharing of development of China’s digital economy with the world. It has become a new scheme for globalization in the digital era by taking information infrastructures as carriers, data, information, and knowledge as resources and digital technology as driving forces. Its goal is to promote the connectivity of countries and regions along the “Belt and Road” as a “community of common destiny” in the cyberspace created by all-round economic and social cooperation.

The theme of this forum is “cooperation between digital technology and the silk road for a better future.” Over 150 foreign guests from government departments, international organizations, reputable associations, multinational enterprises, international think tanks, etc. of more than 40 countries, including Laos, Peru, Serbia, Turkey, Singapore, Argentina, Mexico and Malaysia, will talk about the digital silk road with a grand total of 400 representatives. The list of delegates includes the leaders of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Mayor of Chongqing and those from Alibaba, Hua Wei, Tencent, Jingdong, and other famous domestic digital economy enterprises.

How will each country build information infrastructure, promote information sharing, and carry out information technology cooperation together? How can we improve the Internet economy and trade services and enhance cultural exchanges? How will the global forces jointly develop the digital economy? Many ideas will be on offer, as key delegates prepare to deliver their speeches. Some notable guests of honor include: Lin Nianxiu, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Tang Liangzhi, Mayor of Chongqing, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications of Laos, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining of Uruguay, Deputy Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of Serbia and the State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure of Turkey, Vice Governor of Selangor State of Malaysia, Director of Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore, Argentina’s Ambassador to China, Egyptian’s Ambassador to China, Colombia’s Ambassador to China, and Mexico’s Ambassador to China. 

Other guests include Academicians of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Executive Secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization China Business Council, Alibaba Partner, CTO of ANT Financial, Vice President of Huawei, IDG President of Asia, Deputy General Manager of Silk Road Fund, Managing Director of China Everbright Group, Vice President of Jingdong Group, Global Senior Vice President and CTO of RELX Group, Senior Vice President of Ctrip, Co-founder of JUSFOUN BIG DATA, Co-CEO of United Imaging, etc.

The representatives from 17 government departments, professional institutions and enterprises of 5 countries will hold text exchange ceremonies for nine new contract projects in scientific and technological innovation, talent cultivation, technology transfer and international exchanges involved in artificial intelligence, big data, industry 4.0, digital trade and other cooperative fields.