BEIJING, Dec. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On December 4th Beijing time, the eWeek of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and co-organized by Beijing Institute of Technology, was grandly opened at the Geneva International Conference Center. The theme of this conference was “Shaping the future of digital economy”.

At the high-level forum, Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information, delivered a speech in his “digital human” avatar, using generative AI (AIGC) technology, sharing Beijing’s achievements in the development of the digital economy. The speech received wide attention and caused enthusiastic response from the audience. This application of “digital human +AI” technology is released for the first time in the history of UNCTAD, which is a demonstration of Beijing’s innovative spirit in promoting the application of cutting-edge technology.

Jiang Guangzhi said that since 2021, when Beijing released the “Implementation Plan on Accelerating the Construction of a Global Digital Economy Exemplar City”, it has always adhered to the values of openness, inclusiveness, and global excellence, to promote the high-quality development of the digital economy. Benefited from the strong policy support, the value added of Beijing’s digital economy has continued to grow and become one of the main engines driving economic growth.

According to Jiang Guangzhi, Beijing has achieved remarkable attainment in developing digital economy. As one of the cities with the most abundant endowment of digital economy resources and the most favourable development conditions in the world, the contribution of Beijing’s digital economy industry has been rapidly increasing, and the information software industry, as the core industry of the digital economy, has risen to rank first of the city’s industries. Additionally, Beijing’s core competitiveness in the field of digital economy has earned notable advantages, and the scale of core industries such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, industrial internet, digital avatar etc., leads the country. In the Forbes Top 100 Digital Companies, Beijing’s enterprises accounted for over half of the Chinese enterprises on the list, which effectively underpins Beijing to build a globally competitive digital economy highland.

In addition, Jiang Guangzhi also spoke on several breakthroughs in the development of digital economy in Beijing. Firstly, a new system of digital governance has been formed, with the “Beijing Municipal Digital Economy Promotion Regulations” as its principal document, we have established a “1+3+N” institutional framework system supported by open policies, standard-setting and measurement system. Secondly, we have built digital infrastructure and promoted the deep integration of new-generation information technology and urban infrastructure, laying the foundation for the construction of smart cities. Thirdly, we have consolidated strategic advantages, nurtured new clusters of digital industries, gathered a number of top artificial intelligence research institutions in Beijing, and some key algorithm technologies have reached the international advanced level. Fourthly, we have made breakthroughs in the key stages of data assetisation with pilot projects, initially formed the data factor market ecosystem, and introduced a series of innovative policies and continued to implement favorable policies. Fifthly, we have promoted the digital transformation of industries, and empowered urban operation, industrial development and citizens’ lives through measures such as the “New Intelligent Manufacturing 100” project and the “3+3” action of the industrial Internet. Sixthly, we have built platforms to promote cooperation, jointly optimized the digital business environment, launched the Global Digital Economy Partner Cities Cooperation Initiative and continued to build a multi-dimensional, multi-level international exchange and cooperation system.

As to how Beijing will build a exemplar city for the global digital economy in the future, Jiang Guangzhi emphasized that it would further improve the regulation system led by the Beijing Digital Economy Promotion Regulations, continued to make breakthroughs in core technologies, accelerate the establishment of a “national experimental field” for comprehensive reforms in the nation’s fundamental regulations of data, and cultivate and grow the data factor market. He also said that Beijing will remain committed in promoting a higher level of opening up to the world, and grasp the opportunity of building the National Comprehensive Demonstration Zone for the Further Opening Up of the Service Industry to further promote the opening up and development of the whole industry chain of Beijing’s digital economy.

In the end of his speech, Jiang Guangzhi extended a cordial invitation to the world for the upcoming 4th Global Digital Economy Conference to be held in Beijing next summer. As a major city in China and one of the exemplar cities of the global digital economy, Beijing’s achievements in the development of the digital economy have attracted extensive attention from the international community. Director Jiang Guangzhi’s speech provided new impetus to Beijing and even China to advance in the global digital economy, as well as provided new insights and directions in the recovery and growth of the global economy.

The Global Digital Economy Conference has become an authoritative international exchange platform for new technology and products in the digital economy. In 2021, the conference used digital human for the first time as the host of its opening ceremony, in 2022, the first domestic roundtable forum on digital human was successfully held during the session, and in 2023, the use of digital human was implemented in the scenarios of governmental activities, and the first digital human’s concert was held. The Global Digital Economy Conference has witnessed the evolution of digital human technology and the iteration of digital consumption industry, and has also reflected the role of the conference in promoting industry application and accelerating the development of digital economy. With the coming of a new phase of digital economy, the digital human technology is undergoing continuous optimization, the product form continues to iterate, and data security and governance mechanisms are being established in the exploration. Technology has painted a fabulous blueprint for the future of our lives, offering not only unprecedented experiences but also injecting new momentum for economic development.