Xi Jinping calls for global digital cooperation and investment in science and technology at the G20

President Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Bali for the G20 summit (Ajeng Dinar / AFP)

Speaking at the 17th G20 summit in Indonesia, the Chinese president suggested that it is time to promote balanced, coordinated and comprehensive action.

On Wednesday (16), Chinese President Xi Jinping defended, in his second participation in the 17th G20 summit, that the time has come to break the serious restrictions that hinder digital cooperation and prohibit joint investment in science and technology.

According to the Chinese leader, “We live in a new era in which it will be necessary to promote a balanced, coordinated and inclusive global digital economic model that brings benefits to all and offers win-win cooperation and common prosperity.”

Xi Jinping noted that the increasing scale of the digital economy and the acceleration of digital transformation around the world, “have become important factors influencing the global economic landscape.”

Since hosting the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in 2016, he noted that “China has included the digital agenda as a priority for the first time in this gathering, calling for innovative forms of development and forging new growth drivers.”

Since then, more consensus has been built, cooperation in adapting to transformation and building a digital economy has been intensified, international cooperation has been strengthened, and the “small with high walls” policy has been broken.

For China, the leader stressed that all countries should make efforts to promote an open, inclusive, equitable, fair and non-discriminatory environment for the development of the digital economy, stimulate international cooperation and digital transformation of industries, so as to unlock potential. of their respective economies.

He stressed that China’s understanding is the need to put development first and bridge the digital divide, jointly enhance communication and take effective measures to promote digital literacy and common skills for all. In this sense, Xi Jinping added, it is necessary to help developing countries and those on the periphery adapt to transformation and strive to end the digital divide.

Among the priorities of this new period, the leader highlighted, China launched an initiative to expand the Silk Road project, including the aspect of digital investment, and to identify this economy as the main field of global development, which makes it possible to cooperate with everyone in this. regarding. To this end, he also called for global efforts to pursue an innovation-driven approach to facilitate post-pandemic recovery.