Seminar spotlights digital economy, smart city

Seminar spotlights digital economy, smart city.mp4

An online seminar on ASEAN media’s views on digital China was held simultaneously in Shenzhen and Beijing on Wednesday. Government representatives, experts, entrepreneurs and media professionals from China and ASEAN countries shared their views and insights on the development and cooperation prospects of the digital economy and smart cities at the seminar.

This year marks the first year after the formal establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the ASEAN and China, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) took effect in January.

Participants of the online seminar on ASEAN Media's Views on Digital China on Wednesday.

The seminar, part of the 2022 Media Tour of ASEAN Media’s View on Digital China, was hosted by China Daily and the ASEAN-China Center (ACC), and organized by China Daily Website and Cyberspace Administration of Shenzhen.

Wang Hao, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, said the digital economy and smart cities have become key cooperation areas between China and ASEAN countries in recent years, and cooperation achievements are constantly emerging.

He said the development of digital economy and the application of digital technologies also offered a great development opportunity for the media sector.

Zhang Yong, deputy director of the Cyber Communications Bureau of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said both China and ASEAN countries have accelerated the development of the digital economy, which has become a key force to boost economic recovery and the healthy development of the global economy.

He called for further cooperation between China and ASEAN media, enterprises and think tanks, to inject continuous vitality into the development of China-ASEAN digital economy, and high-quality construction of the Digital Silk Road.

Arthayudh Srisamoot, Thailand's ambassador to China, also highlighted digital economy as a key field of bilateral cooperation.

"In 2021, digital economy accounted for 14.1% of Thailand's GDP," he said.

From the installation of 5G stations to smart hospitals and a digital currency trial, these are concrete outcomes from the beneficial cooperation between Thailand and China, he said.

Shi Zhongjun, secretary general of ACC, said at the seminar that the digital economies of China and ASEAN countries are highly complementary and there is a solid foundation and huge potential for digital cooperation between the two sides.

"Promoting the ASEAN-China digital economy partnership will help the two sides overcome current economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, gain greater growth momentum and achieve common development and prosperity," said Shi.

"The ACC will continue playing its role as a bridge between ASEAN and China to promote policy communication, expand consensus and deepen cooperation in the digital field, and make new contributions to the growth of ASEAN-China relations," he said.

Attendees of a seminar on ASEAN Media’s View on Digital China gesture at a subvenue in Shenzhen on Wednesday. Lin Jianping

Beijing and Shenzhen are among the top five cities in the digital economy, according to the 2022 China Digital Economy Development Research Report.

Shenzhen has been promoting the construction of a smart city and e-government at high standards, according to Wang Chuhong, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC and head of the Cyberspace Administration of Shenzhen. The city will continue to provide strong support and services in multiple aspects including organizational designs, legal services, infrastructure construction and industrial policies, Wang said at the seminar. 

Tao Yitao, professor and former deputy Party chief of Shenzhen University and dean of the Belt and Road Research Institute of Shenzhen University, introduced Shenzhen’s digital economy achievements from five aspects and the role of mechanism innovation in boosting the city’s digital economy development.

The added value of the core industries of Shenzhen’s digital economy last year exceeded 900 billion yuan (US$128.8 billion), accounting for 30.5% of the city's GDP.

As of 2021, Shenzhen had built over 50,000 5G stations. In addition, the city ranks first in the information society index and an online government service capability index, according to related reports released by the national authorities.

Moreover, Shenzhen has cultivated a batch of leading enterprises involved in the digital economy sector such as Huawei, ZTE, Tencent and Ping An.

Huang Runzhong, chief supervisor of One Connect of Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China, highlighted new opportunities for digital development and shared the company's effective practices in digitalization.