By Zhong Sheng
The just-concluded 6th World Internet Conference (WIC) could be seen as an embodiment of China’s devotion to jointly promoting global governance in cyberspace and building a community with a shared future in cyberspace with various countries around the world.
It also showcased China’s determination to follow the trend of the times, shoulder responsibility for development, and meet challenges and risks together with other countries.
The conference, taking place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Internet, was attended by around 1,500 guests from more than 80 countries and regions. This indicated global concern over cyberspace governance.
It is the common responsibility of the international community to develop, use and govern the Internet well so that it can better benefit mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a congratulatory letter to the conference.
In the past few days during the 6th WIC, the ancient river town of Wuzhen presented the world the fantastic bond between history and future technology and witnessed the rich connotations of intelligent interconnection among all things.
Changes brought to the world by the new round of technological revolution were felt everywhere in Wuzhen.
Visitors at the 6th WIC could stand in front of a screen to make themselves customized artistic photos featuring world-famous paintings with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).
They could also step onto a conveyor belt to “travel back in time” with interactive design and feel the charm of the ancient Liangzhu city dating back about 5,000 years, enjoy the melodies of the folk song Jasmine Flower played by the flexible “fingers” of mechanical arms, and “land on the moon” at the application center for China’s satellite navigation system Beidou.
“We are marching together towards a brand new world with data being its predominant feature. Every industry and field are being reshaped and profoundly transformed in the new world, and intelligent interconnection among all things is one of its most important trends,” an industry insider noted.
There are both joys and sorrows on the journey towards intelligent interconnection among all things.
The world has been troubled by mounting problems in the field of the Internet such as unbalanced development, inadequate rules and inequitable order, which resulted in privacy infringements, intellectual property rights violations, and Internet crimes around the world, and even global problems such as wiretapping, attacks, and terrorism in cyberspace.
By holding the WIC, China aims to offer the world a platform for sharing and joint governance in global cyberspace, promote the sharing of ideas about cyberspace governance, build consensus and deepen pragmatic cooperation.
With the theme of “Intelligent Interconnection for Openness and Cooperation — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”, the 6th WIC responded to major concerns of the international community over hotspot issues in science and technology and frontiers of industries.
The key to promoting global governance in cyberspace is to make the most of the favorable conditions while averting unfavorable ones so as to enable the Internet to better benefit mankind.
In 2015 at the 2nd WIC, President Xi first proposed the idea of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace, and expounded four principles and a five-point proposal on the governance and development of the Internet.
Xi’s vision has drawn wide attention and universal recognition of the international community and has become a permanent theme of the WIC.
Recently, the Organizing Committee of the WIC released a document titled “Jointly Build a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace” to elaborate on the background, fundamental principles, path to realization, and governance framework of the task of jointly building a community with a shared future in cyberspace.
The document called on governments and peoples around the world to work together so as to “achieve shared development, ensure common security, realize joint governance, and enjoy benefits together”.
China’s proposal of jointly build a community with a shared future in cyberspace is increasingly becoming the common goal for various parties.
Collaboration becomes more important than ever, said Malcolm Johnson, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, calling on countries around the world to make concerted efforts to jointly push forward with the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of China’s full access to the Internet. According to a latest report on China’s Internet development, by June 2019, the number of Internet users in China hit 854 million. Last year, the size of the country’s digital economy reached 31.3 trillion yuan (about $4.42 trillion), accounting for 34.8 percent of its GDP.
These figures have fully proven that the Internet can bring profound and positive changes to a country and even the world as long as it is well governed.
China is building its strength in cyberspace. In this process, the country has played the role of a responsible major country all the time, while making unremitting efforts to contribute to development, promote openness, safeguard security, and boost governance in the global cyberspace.
Moreover, China has strived to constantly deepen international exchanges and cooperation in cyberspace, share its experience in the development of the Internet industry, and earnestly push forward with the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, which is an important undertaking that benefits the whole world and all human beings.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
Photo shows the opening ceremony of the 6th World Internet Conference. (Photo by Weng Qiyu/People’s Daily Online)
Visitors try 5G-based remote driving at the Light of Internet Expo which kicked off on Oct. 18, 2019 in Wuzhen town, east China’s Zhejiang province, as part of the 6th World Internet Conference. (Photo by Zhai Huiyong/People’s Daily Online)
共同推进网络空间全球治理
钟声
在互联网诞生50周年之际，80多个国家和地区的约1500名嘉宾出席第六届世界互联网大会，凸显全球对推进网络空间全球治理的关心。习近平主席向大会致贺信，深刻洞察互联网发展趋势，站在增进人类共同福祉的高度，倡导发展好、运用好、治理好互联网。中国致力于同各国共同推进网络空间全球治理，努力推动构建网络空间命运共同体，这是顺应时代潮流、勇担发展责任、共迎风险挑战的行动。
乌镇与世界互联网大会结缘，古老历史与未来技术的牵手，赋予“万物智能互联”丰富内涵——站在屏幕前，便可通过人工智能为自己量身定制一幅有世界名画特色的艺术照；走上传送带，就能跟随交互设计穿越到5000年前的良渚古城；听机械臂灵巧拨动“手指”演奏《茉莉花》，化身航天员登陆“月球”……这几天在乌镇，随处能感受到新一轮科技革命带来的变革。有业界人士认为，“我们正携手迈向以数据为中心的崭新世界，各行各业都被重塑并发生深刻变革，而‘万物智能互联’则是其中最具代表性的趋势之一”。
迈向“万物智能互联”，有喜亦有忧。互联网领域发展不平衡、规则不健全、秩序不合理等问题日益凸显，世界范围内侵害个人隐私、侵犯知识产权、网络犯罪等时有发生，网络监听、网络攻击、网络恐怖主义活动等成为全球公害。这些集中反映了网络空间治理存在的问题。中国创办世界互联网大会，旨在为全球互联网共享共治提供平台，推动国际社会分享治网理念，凝聚思想共识，深化务实合作。今年大会聚焦“智能互联 开放合作——携手共建网络空间命运共同体”主题，回应了当前国际社会对科技热点和产业前沿的关切。
推进网络空间全球治理，关键在于趋利避害，让互联网更好地造福人类。2015年，习近平主席在第二届世界互联网大会首次提出“构建网络空间命运共同体”理念，深入阐释互联网发展治理“四项原则”“五点主张”，得到国际社会广泛关注和普遍认同，已经成为世界互联网大会永久主题。近日，世界互联网大会组委会发布《携手构建网络空间命运共同体》概念文件，深入阐释构建网络空间命运共同体的时代背景、基本原则、实践路径和治理架构，传递出“发展共同推进、安全共同维护、治理共同参与、成果共同分享”的真诚意愿。中国关于构建网络空间命运共同体的主张，日益成为各方共同努力的方向。正如与会的国际电信联盟副秘书长马尔科姆•约翰逊所说，“协同合作变得比以往更加重要，应携手共建网络空间命运共同体”。
今年也是中国全功能接入互联网25周年。最新发布的《中国互联网发展报告2019》显示，截至2019年6月，中国网民规模为8.54亿人；2018年，中国数字经济规模达31.3万亿元，占GDP比重达34.8%。这些数据说明，只要治理有方，互联网将给一个国家乃至整个世界带来深刻、积极的变化。
中国行进在从网络大国迈向网络强国的征程上，始终发挥着负责任大国作用，努力做网络空间发展的贡献者、网络空间开放的推动者、网络空间安全的捍卫者、国际网络空间治理的建设者。中国持续不断深化网络空间国际交流合作，积极分享发展经验，积极推动构建网络空间命运共同体。这是造福世界、造福人类的重要事业
第六届世界互联网大会开幕式现场。 翁奇羽/人民图片
2019年10月18日，第六届世界互联网大会“互联网之光”博览会在浙江乌镇拉开帷幕。图为市民在博览会上体验5G远程驾驶技术。 翟慧勇/人民图片
