China issues white paper on community with shared future in cyberspace

BEIJING -- China's State Council Information Office on Monday issued a white paper titled "Jointly Build a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."

The white paper introduced China's vision of internet development and governance in the new era and its actions, shared its achievements in promoting the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, and outlined the prospects for international cooperation.

The internet has turned the world into a global village, and the international community is becoming more and more interconnected, with a shared future becoming more apparent, the white paper said.

The white paper called it the responsibility of all of humanity to develop, use, and manage the internet well and make it more beneficial to mankind.

As the world's largest developing country and the country with the largest number of internet users, China "understands the underlying trends of the information age; upholds a people-centered approach; and supports global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits," read the paper.

In the new development stage and guided by the new development philosophy, China is building a new development dynamic, it said.

China is set to build up its strength in cyberspace and digital technologies, said the white paper, noting that progress has been made in boosting the digital economy, building a clean and sound online environment, and guarding against risks to cyberspace security.

By 2021, the value of China's digital economy had reached 45.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 39.8 percent of its GDP, said the white paper.

By June 2022, there were 1.05 billion internet users in China, and the internet penetration rate had reached 74.4 percent, read the white paper, adding that the country hosts the world's largest 5G network and becomes one of the global leaders in 5G standards and technology, with 1.85 million 5G cell towers and 455 million 5G cell phone subscribers.

In 2021, China's online retail sales of consumer goods stood at 10.8 trillion yuan, up 12 percent year-on-year, said the white paper. The turnover in China's cross-border e-commerce reached 1.92 trillion yuan, up 18.6 percent year-on-year.

China has continued to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in cyberspace, according to the white paper.

It has engaged in active cross-border collaboration in terms of the digital economy, cyberspace security, and reform and development of global cyberspace governance to promote inclusive development of the internet, said the paper, noting that all these efforts contribute to building a community with a shared future in cyberspace.

While using the internet to eliminate its own poverty, China has used technology to help developing countries improve broadband access in the poorest areas and areas with low population density. It has worked to provide universal and affordable internet access in the least developed countries, in order to eliminate poverty caused by lack of network facilities, according to the white paper.

China has actively developed digital public products and expanded cooperation in digital public services. Since the global outbreak of COVID-19, pandemic forecasting platforms and robocalls developed in China have helped control and mitigation in other countries, read the white paper.

Calling the internet the shared home of all of humanity, the white paper said it is the common responsibility of the international community to make this home cleaner, safer, and more prosperous.

The white paper stated China's readiness to work with other countries to foster an open, inclusive, and vibrant cyberspace that is fairer, more secure, and more stable, calling for concerted efforts to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace and create a better world.