Chen Zhaoxiong, vice minister of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, at BCS in Beijing on August 21.

China’s cybersecurity companies set their eyes on opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, as the country calls to strengthen cooperation in cyberspace security under the China-proposed initiative.

The Beijing Cyber Security Conference opened on Aug. 21. Chen Zhaoxiong, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, noted that cooperation and win-win results should be key principles in dealing with the new challenges in cybersecurity, calling on companies and research institutes to strengthen cooperation with the international community under the Belt and Road Initiative and jointly safeguard cyberspace security and order.

“The digital economy has become a key impetus to help BRI countries to boost their economic development; at the same time, we should be aware that cyber knows no boundaries, but every country has its own problems with cybersecurity,” said Wu Yunkun, president of Qi An Xin Group, a Chinese security company and an organizer of the conference.

Wu revealed that the group has exported some of its cyber defense experience overseas while protecting companies like Huawei and China Electronics Corp that have overseas operations under BRI.

President Xi Jinping first proposed the blueprint of building a modern Digital Silk Road and put emphasis on the digital economy in 2017 at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Over the years, Chinese cloud computing company Alibaba Cloud has established data centers in Singapore, the Middle East, and Europe. Venustech, which claims to be the leading provider of network security products and specialized security services and solutions, also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the association to promote network security in BRI countries as part of the Digital Silk Road, Global Times reported.

China has signed cooperation agreements with over 16 countries involving the construction of a Digital Silk Road, and jointly launched the Belt and Road Digital Economy International Cooperation Initiative with seven countries.