During the opening ceremony of the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit held on November 20, 2024, a distinguished contribution award is presented to recognize individuals and enterprises who have made outstanding contributions to the global internet landscape. Photo: VCG

President Xi Jinping extended congratulations via video to the 2024 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit, which opened in Wuzhen, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Wednesday.

Themed "Embracing a People-Centered and AI-for-Good Digital Future - Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace," this year's summit focuses on the development of artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to create an international cooperation platform to jointly boost the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace.

Noting that a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation is rapidly advancing, Xi urged efforts to embrace the digital, internet-based and smart development trends.

He called for accelerating innovative, safe and inclusive growth in cyberspace, and jointly striving for a brighter "digital future."

China is willing to work with countries around the world to take a historical initiative in the information revolution, and jointly build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, to make the internet better able to benefit the people and the world, Xi said.

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech.

The first Wuzhen Summit was held in 2014. Over the past 11 years, the function of the WIC to provide a platform and build consensus continues to improve, boosting the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace being increasingly deeply rooted in people's hearts, while contributing Chinese wisdom to global cyberspace development and governance system reform, observers noted.

"President Xi's remarks point out the important role that technologies such as AI play in guiding humanity to understand and change the world as well as the opportunities they create," Zeng Yi, a research fellow from the Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences and also an expert on the UN Secretary-General's AI Advisory Body, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Sci-tech innovations inject impetus to economic and social development, but the bottom line of safety should be firmly held, and this requires governance to ensure stable sci-tech development, Zeng said.

During the opening ceremony, a distinguished contribution award was presented to recognize individuals and enterprises who have made outstanding contributions to the global internet landscape. A total of 14 enterprises including iFlytek, Tencent and Alibaba were awarded.

People-centered approach

"AI is transforming lives at an unimaginable pace," said Li Junhua, UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, via video link at the opening ceremony. "We can only harness the incredible potential of AI if we do so through a people-centered approach and foster dialogue to understand global needs and perspectives," Xinhua reported.

Since China connected to the internet 30 years ago, China has strengthened internet infrastructure construction and engaged in technological innovations, which attracted the active participation of netizens and provided a demonstration in the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of Xiaomi, said at the opening ceremony.

Lei acknowledged the dual nature of AI, emphasizing the need for international platforms such as the WIC and the leading role of tech firms in strengthening cyberspace governance in the intelligent era.

China has entered first class in the AI sector across the world, and there is vast development potential for the country's large language models, Zhou Hongyi, founder and chairman of 360 Security Technology, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

He said AI technologies will empower the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, and thus contribute to the high-quality development of the digital economy.

The China-ASEAN Information Harbour Forum will make its debut Wuzhen Summit. 

The construction of the China-ASEAN Information Harbor offers new opportunities for China and ASEAN nations to expand cooperation in the digital sector, for example in e-commerce and digital finance, while offering China experience to accelerate ASEAN's digital transformation, Heng Lee Lee, a member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly for Berapit, a constituency in Malaysia, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The Light of Internet Expo, one of the main events at the Wuzhen Summit, already kicked off on Tuesday. The expo displays AI key technologies, the latest application achievements of AI and cutting-edge technologies. 

Audiences interact in real-time with practical-level large model Hunyuan-powered AI assistant, developed by China's tech giant Tecent. This experience is delivered in a naked-eye 3D format, featuring cultural showcases of various prominent intellectual properties. Participants are able to immerse themselves in these IP environments and capture photos in real-time.