■赵姗
A thousand years ago, the Silk Road opened up a new path for the integration of human civilizations, and after a thousand years, the Internet, artificial intelligence, and digital economy have become important engines for global industrial development and transformation.
On April 16, the Digital Silk Road Development Forum of the World Internet Conference was held in Xi'an, China, with the theme of "Interconnection and Common Prosperity", which was the first time that an international organization of the World Internet Conference held a special forum around the "Digital Silk Road". The Digital Silk Road Development Forum will inherit the concepts and consensus in the Silk Road Spirit, actively promote the joint construction of the "Digital Silk Road", gradually narrow the digital divide between the countries and regions that jointly build the "Belt and Road", and open up a new situation for the economic growth and international economic cooperation of relevant countries.
How to speed up the construction of the "Digital Silk Road" is also one of the important topics of this year's "Boao Discussion". According to the "Asian Digital Economy Report" previously released by the Boao Forum for Asia, Asia's digital economy has achieved steady development in the face of adversity. In 2022, the estimated size of the digital economy in 14 Asian countries will reach US$12.8 trillion, with a nominal growth of 3.5% year-on-year, accounting for 38.5% of GDP. According to the Asian Digital Economy Report, the Belt and Road countries should be encouraged to strengthen the interconnection of information infrastructure and improve the level of digital connectivity in Asia.
Now, as the Belt and Road Initiative has entered a stage of high-quality development, the development of the global digital economy has ushered in new opportunities. Previously, due to various geographical, social, cultural and other factors, there were obvious differences in the use and access to digital technology between different regions and groups, resulting in information asymmetry and digital gap, which is the so-called digital divide. Now, with the construction of the "Digital Silk Road", it will help promote all-round exchanges and cooperation between various countries and regions in the fields of information infrastructure, digital technology application, trade development, and cultural exchanges, and effectively narrow the digital divide.
Currently, more than 2.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to the Internet. Among them, the world's poorest and most vulnerable people are disproportionately affected. Representatives of UN agencies attending the 27th session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, which is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, warned that with the rapid development of frontier technologies, the risk of a widening digital divide cannot be ignored.
From the perspective of the countries and regions that are currently jointly building the "Belt and Road", the construction of the "Digital Silk Road" is also heterogeneous due to differences in digital infrastructure, Internet penetration, e-commerce development level, digital talents, etc. In fact, the digital divide is not only a technological gap, but also an economic, cultural, and digital resource gap, which exacerbates the uncoordinated global development and unequal opportunities for individuals. Therefore, it is necessary to accelerate the construction of the "Digital Silk Road", strive to promote the digital transformation of the countries and regions that are jointly built, narrow the gap in the access and application of digital technology, and realize the comprehensive development of digital technology and the sharing of achievements.
From a domestic perspective, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security recently issued the "Key Points for Improving Digital Literacy and Skills for All in 2024", which mentions: "Accelerate the bridging of the digital divide, including building a digital barrier-free environment and providing inclusive public welfare services." This demand stems from the multifaceted digital divide that currently exists on the mainland. Specifically, urban dwellers are generally better than rural dwellers in terms of digital resources and skills, younger people are more likely to accept and master digital technologies than older people, and more educated people have higher digital literacy. Therefore, we must take proactive steps to accelerate the bridging of these digital divides and ensure universal access and equitable application of digital technologies.
A few days ago, the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt the first draft resolution on artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure that this new technology can benefit all countries. It is understood that this draft resolution aims to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing countries, to ensure that they are on an equal footing in the AI discussion, and also to ensure that developing countries have the technology and capacity to use AI.
It is undeniable that there is still a certain gap between developing and developed countries in the field of digital technology innovation and creation, and efforts need to be made to narrow the digital divide. Investment in digital infrastructure should be increased, the quality and level of facilities should be improved, and the foundation of digital technology should be consolidated and upgraded. Actively participate in the International Digital Technology Cooperation Organization, and enhance the level and strength of digital technology in developing countries by strengthening technical cooperation and joint research and development. Strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights in digital technology, and stimulate the enthusiasm for innovation through market-oriented mechanisms.
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Chief Producer丨Wang Hui and Che Haigang
Producer丨Li Piguang, Wang Yu, Liu Weimin
Editor-in-Chief丨Mao Jinghui Editor丨Chen Shuhan