Lu Wei, minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China speaks at the China-ASEAN Information Harbor Forum opening ceremony in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on September 13, 2015. [Photo/people.com.cn]
Honorable Party Secretary Peng Qinghua,
Honorable Minister of Post and Telecommunications Hiem Phommachanh,
Honorable representatives from the ASEAN countries,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning! We are gathered here in the picturesque city of Nanning on this golden autumn day to participate in the China-ASEAN Information Harbor Forum, and compose a new chapter of cyberspace cooperation between China and the ASEAN countries. On behalf of the Cyberspace Administration of China, I warmly welcome all guests and friends here at this forum, and extend our heartfelt gratitude to Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which made this forum possible.
China and the ASEAN countries are connected geographically, genetically and culturally, and have been good neighbors and partners since ancient times. The millennial Maritime Silk Road has witnessed the prosperity of sea trade, promoted the exchange and fusion of the East and the West, and brought closer China and the ASEAN countries. Facing the future, China's President Xi Jinping proposed that China and the ASEAN countries jointly build a China-ASEAN community of shared destiny and enhance our connectivity by constructing the 21th Century Maritime Silk Road to improve the well-being of people across the region. The rejuvenation of the ancient Maritime Silk Road provides huge historical opportunity to China and the ASEAN countries.
Last year, the first China-ASEAN Cyberspace Forum was a success. It proposed to build the China-ASEAN Information Harbor which features five platforms for infrastructure construction, information sharing, technological cooperation, economic and trade services, and cultural exchanges. The proposal was echoed and recognized by participants to the forum. President Xi Jinping pays close attention to building the China-ASEAN Information Harbor. National departments, including the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Development and Reform Commission, have made detailed plans to build the harbor with Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Guangxi has been earnestly carrying out President Xi's instructions about positioning Guangxi in the new historical period, so it can build a great international passage linking the ASEAN countries, a strategic stronghold of regional development and a pivotal portal for the Belt and Road Initiative, and promote the construction of the information harbor.
Through the joint efforts of all parties, the construction of the information harbor has made achievements in five aspects of the project. First, the parties have reached consensus on the China-ASEAN Information Harbor, which has an increasingly prominent role to play and become an important part of the Belt and Road initiative. Second, the overall plan for the China-ASEAN Information Harbor takes shape with the construction of the five platforms, pushing ahead in a comprehensive way. Third, key areas for cooperation have been established, covering more than 10 key projects and dozens of specific tasks. Fourth, key projects based in Guangxi and looking toward the ASEAN countries have taken foothold, including four cross-border cables on land and in the sea, the China-ASEAN Information Harbor base and the China-ASEAN E-commerce Industrial Park. Fifth, the harbor has promoted comprehensive exchanges between China and ASEAN in cyberspace, leading to heated cooperation among Internet enterprises, a large number of cooperation projects in technology transfer and innovation and closer exchanges of cyber culture.
After a year's practice, more and more people have realized that the China-ASEAN Information Harbor is a port for Internet connectivity, information sharing, wealth pooling and culture integration, as well as a port for China and the ASEAN countries to conduct and share the fruits of win-win cooperation.
At last year's forum, a representative from Laos said that Laos is the only landlocked country in South East Asia with no sea port, so it is in desperate need of Internet connectivity and information sharing. The construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbor is exactly an "online port" serving connectivity among China and the ASEA countries by linking all ports and roads. China will continue to follow the concept proposed by President Xi featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, to cooperate closely with ASEAN countries and to make the China-ASEAN Information Harbor the information hub of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. This also means China and ASEAN countries can share the fruits of Internet development.
First, sharing the fruits of the digital economy. In the current period, the digital economy has become the most powerful engine to drive economic development. With the promotion of the "Internet Plus" concept, the growth rate of China's Internet industry is five times higher than the that of GDP. Last year, the trading volume of electronic commerce amounted to 13 trillion yuan ($2 trillion). The Internet shows more and more effect on upgrading industries and supporting the growth of innovative business. China and ASEAN countries are all developing countries with a wide range of needs and great potential in digital economic development. With the China-ASEAN Information Harbor, we hope to develop cross-border electronic commerce, better build a China-ASEAN Information Harbor, create a regional international financial information center, push forward the development of digital economic cooperation, invigorate economic growth as well as industrial restructuration and market expansion, and provide strong support for the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone.
Second, sharing qualified information service. The essential attribute of the Internet is to spread information and share information. The national strength of a country is reflected in how much information it holds, while the level of people's livelihood is affected by the information service provision ability of a country. At present, 700 million people in China don't have access to the Internet, while 400 million people in ASEAN countries are not Internet users, either. They have a greater need to get more information, gain knowledge and get rid of poverty via the Internet. We will push forward the establishment of the China-ASEAN Information Harbor fund, increase investment in information infrastructure relying on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund. We will establish a portal for China-ASEAN Information Harbor, promote the penetration of the Internet, and break the information barrier and bridge the "digital gap". We'll share with ASEAN countries the information service on economy and finance, education and scientific research, health care and disaster early warning, and let the construction of Information Harbor benefit people in both China and ASEAN countries.
Third, sharing resources in technological innovation. The key to building modern and smart information hubs lies in technology and innovation. We're glad to see more and more enterprises, research institutions, higher education and industrial organizations join the China-ASEAN technology cooperation network to improve the level of technological assembling and enhance the incubation of innovations. Based on the China-ASEAN Information Harbor, we are willing to accelerate technological transfer and cooperation in innovation, plan and conduct technology R&D, transformation and application, participate actively in the standardization of internationally important technologies, and build cooperation pilot projects in cloud computing, the Internet of Things, smart city and smart grid through establishing coalitions of cooperation among information technology industries. We will take the commanding height in related technologies and seize the initiative of development so as to drive cooperation and a win-win solution via means of technological innovations.
Fourth, sharing good high-quality Internet culture. Chinese President Xi said the development of relations among different nations relies on the connection of the heart and will of the people in the final analysis. TV drama series from Thailand, which are popular on the Chinese Internet, let Chinese people feel the joys and sorrows of people from ASEAN countries. And the socializing app launched by Chinese Internet giant Tencent in Vietnam has also become popular among Vietnamese users. Partnering with ASEAN countries, we'd like to pool our great digital productions, including gaming, anime, TV, movie, literature and knowledge resources, to build online platforms of communication and copy right and explore new channels of cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN countries. This will help realize the goal of making the Internet a new bond of public sentiment convergence and friendship between people from the two sides.
Fifth, sharing the experience on network administration. Countries have different national conditions and the development of their Internet industry is at different stages, so they also differ in cyberspace administration models and approaches. However, confronting common challenges from cyberspace, China and ASEAN have increasingly become a community of common destiny sharing the weal and woes and we must jointly address the challenges. Together with the ASEAN countries, we're willing to improve our cooperation mechanism, conduct dialogue and communication, learn from each other, share the experiences and successes in cyberspace administration, respect each country's Internet sovereignty and safeguard cyberspace security. We must also resolutely crack down on online terrorism and crimes, and protect personal privacy and information security to promote the establishment of a multilateral, democratic and transparent international Internet governance system and jointly create a peaceful, safe, open and cooperative cyberspace.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Go with the tide of "Internet Plus". China-ASEAN Information Harbor is riding the waves of the One Belt and One Road initiative with a number of projects underway. As long as we make concerted efforts, address the challenges with courage and confidence, deepen consensus continuously, and seize the opportunity, we will embrace a bright future for China-ASEAN cooperation and development.
Thank you.
责编：印奕帆
来源：中国日报网
