China produces notable achievements in cyberspace building over past 10 yrs

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- With the world's largest population of internet users, China is on its way to making a transition from quantity to quality in cyberspace development.

Over the past decade, the country has produced notable achievements in building a well-governed and secure cyberspace, with improved infrastructure, technological breakthroughs and a booming digital economy, according to a press conference Friday.

IMPROVED CYBERSPACE GOVERNANCE

During the decade, China has improved its cyberspace management and accountability mechanisms, created more online content that injected positive energy into the whole society, and advanced its cyberspace governance system, said Niu Yibing, deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, at the press conference.

With the implementation of a milestone guideline on integrated internet management, China's cyberspace governance system is now more process-oriented and coordinated, Niu said.

China has also launched nationwide campaigns to build a clean cyberspace, targeting prominent issues such as unregulated fan-club activities, internet accounts and cyberspace violence.

PROGRESS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, DIGITAL ECONOMY, TECHNOLOGY

Between 2012 and 2021, the amount of China's netizens grew from 564 million to over 1.03 billion, ranking first in the world. China has deployed the world's largest 5G networks and fiber-optic networks.

The scale of China's digital economy rose from 11 trillion yuan (about 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2012 to 45.5 trillion in 2021, remaining the world's second largest for several consecutive years. The share of digital economy in the national GDP also grew from 21.6 percent in 2012 to 39.8 percent in 2021. China's e-commerce transactions and mobile payments are both leading the world in terms of their scale. So far, the country has held five digital China summits.

Moreover, China achieved a number of innovations and breakthroughs in core technologies of the information industry, ranging from 5G, high-performance computing to satellite navigation, Niu said.

MORE DIGITAL SERVICES, ENHANCED CYBERSECURITY

Over the past decade, China has boosted the coverage of digitalized services, advanced its internet-powered education and medical care drives, and achieved notable anti-pandemic progress via digital technologies.

China has further strengthened its cybersecurity system, shoring up the protection of key infrastructure, data security and personal information, Niu noted.

As part of the effort to accelerate the rule of law in cyberspace, over 100 relevant laws and regulations have been promulgated, with effective law enforcement put in place, Niu added.

China has also deepened international cooperation in cyberspace, and hosted world internet conferences for eight years in a row, putting forth inspiring concepts and initiatives to build a global cybercommunity with a shared future.