The World Internet Conference (WIC) recently established a data working group to promote global exchange and cooperation in the sector. The group’s inauguration meeting was held in Beijing on Oct 24.

The working group is aimed at leveraging the role of the WIC as a global internet platform for extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits to promote international cooperation and communication on data.

Around 40 members of the group, including experts and scholars in the global data field and representatives from top enterprises, attended the meeting. Li Xiaodong, founder of the Fuxi Institution who is also convener and vice director of the working group, introduced its working plan, research topics and framework suggestions.

During the meeting, Sun Ninghui, high-level counselor of the working group and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Ji Weidong, a senior liberal arts professor from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, offered guidance and suggestions on the relevant work of the group. Twenty experts and scholars from member units of the WIC and enterprises in the data field held exchanges and discussions.

It was widely agreed among participants that given the rapid development of digital trade and generative artificial intelligence, data cooperation is an important force that drives global digital economic development. They said that the working group has been established at an apt moment, which pools support from various sectors, including government departments, industry, schools and research institutions. With a clear plan and targeted research topics, the group will play an active role in building consensus on global data cooperation, promoting international cooperation and communication, and sharing the dividends of the digital economy, they noted.

The WIC plans to further flesh out the main points of its research framework and draft reports based on the opinions of relevant parties, as well as hold thematic events during the 2023 WIC Wuzhen Summit.