"This grand event is just in time" - foreign guests watch the World Internet Conference

【Wuzhen Spotlight】

Guangming Daily reporter Chen Haibo Guangming Net reporter Zhang Andi

Wuzhen's green brick tiles and sound and light films are becoming a window for foreign guests to understand China during the Wuzhen Summit of the 2022 World Internet Conference.

"This grand event is just in time," Xia Zehan, representative of UNESCO China Mission, said at the Wuzhen Summit, which was the common voice of more than 2,100 delegates from more than 120 countries and regions.

Delegates from these different countries and regions all expressed their concerns about the digital divide and their desire for dialogue and exchange. From Wuzhen, they saw the vitality of ancient China in the digital age, and from the Internet Conference, they saw China's responsibility and efforts in promoting the construction of a community with a shared future in cyberspace.

"Thank you for your continued support for this global event." Michael He, president of AmCham China, said sincerely.

"Past and future come together here"

What kind of connection will happen between the quaint Jiangnan town and the trendy digital technology? This is something that the British young man Luke could not have imagined before he came to Wuzhen this time.

Luke is a doctoral student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where his research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence in cancer diagnosis. Although he had been to Wuzhen three years ago, it was the first time he had participated in the World Internet Conference. At the "Light of the Internet" expo, reporters met him by chance. "It's really exciting here." He told reporters.

What excites him is not only these cutting-edge digital technologies, but also the time-honored Chinese culture. These two blend in Wuzhen.

"Wuzhen is a very interesting place because all its digital technology is the opposite of its original temperament. It's a very old town where I see a unique blend of cultures, as if the past and the future come together here. Luke said.

Fang Haoming, a reporter and host of China-Arab Satellite TV who came to Wuzhen for the first time, had a similar feeling to Luke. "The architecture is so immersive and makes me feel like I'm part of the place." "I particularly like this Chinese cultural style," he said. ”

Fang Haoming is very busy these days, participating in forums and writing reports, "I feel that every forum is very interesting." Outside of work, I also experienced the metaverse and glasses-free 3D. The amazing experience brought by these digital technologies makes him feel "very advanced and very real".

"The atmosphere is beautiful and inviting." Cambria Dizhao, counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in China, who was also attracted by Chinese culture, told reporters, "Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit one of your museums, which shows the ancient Chinese culture and the evolution of modernization. ”

"It's a great networking opportunity"

"The World Internet Conference is a very meaningful platform because we see international cooperation and interactive dialogue." Cambria shared with reporters his feelings about attending the conference over the past two days.

He just finished attending two sub-forums to exchange views with guests from various countries on international rules in cyberspace and international cooperation on the Internet under the Belt and Road Initiative. "At the forum, I truly realized that the Internet has made everyone's life easier, but it also faces great opportunities and challenges, and the international community needs dialogue and cooperation." He said.

"It's a great opportunity to meet face-to-face." Luke agrees that the World Internet Conference is an excellent platform for dialogue "because there are all kinds of delegates and access to all kinds of ideas." ”

You can talk face-to-face or cloud.

"Even though I couldn't attend the meeting in person, I was happy to be able to communicate with you via video." David Koch, Singapore's Cyber Security Commissioner and CEO of the Cyber Security Agency, said, "It is important to come together to discuss how to further strengthen the rules-based multilateral order in cyberspace. ”

Yes, the World Internet Conference brought everyone together.

Michael Ho said the World Internet Conference has become an annual event for the American Chamber of Commerce in China, and "I am very happy to have this opportunity to participate in this conference to motivate us to learn new things." Cisco's Chairman and CEO Rodroke said that the World Internet Conference is an important platform for bringing together global political and business leaders to share innovation, technological development and Internet governance concepts. Minister Counsellor of the Ethiopian Embassy in China Getachu said that the World Internet Conference has played a huge role in building a better society.

"Participating in the World Internet Conference can help everyone get to know each other, understand each other, and learn from each other's strengths." Fang Haoming told reporters that he also met many peers at the Internet conference and learned a lot.

"China has played a good leadership role in international digital cooperation"

"Without a good guide, digitalization has the potential to exacerbate existing inequalities and widen the digital divide." Xia Zehan believes that the Wuzhen Summit is timely, and the content of the meeting is highly consistent with UNESCO's work in the world.

Xia Zehan pointed out that the current digital revolution is providing great opportunities for the development of society and individuals, but there are still situations that are exacerbated by the lack of equal access to information. The Digital Silk Road advocated by China is injecting strong momentum into the global digitalization process. UNESCO has partnered with China to help other developing countries through mechanisms such as the Belt and Road Initiative and South-South cooperation.

The World Internet Conference and other practical explorations of China in building a community with a shared future in cyberspace are good guidance in themselves. "In the future, UNESCO will continue to leverage China's knowledge and experience to share China's best practices with the world and promote more inclusive and equitable development globally." Xia Zehan said.

Cambria's views coincide with those of Shazehan. "China has played a good leadership role in international digital cooperation." He told reporters.

Cambria believes that the theme of the World Internet Conference is very much in line with China's previous "Global Development Initiative". This experience made him see China's consistent efforts and contributions in seeking solutions to the common challenges facing mankind.

"In the field of digital transformation, China's digital economy is full of vitality and competitiveness." Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of International Business Machines, said that despite the uncertainty in today's world, he believes that trust and cooperation will ensure that we can overcome the difficulties together.

Guangming Daily (November 11, 2022, Version 07)

Source: Guangming Net-Guangming Daily