China willing to work with world to promote digital trade growth: vice president

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addresses the opening ceremony of the second Global Digital Trade Expo and reads out a congratulatory letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping at the ceremony in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

HANGZHOU, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Thursday said China is willing to work with other countries to jointly promote the high-quality and sustainable development of global digital trade.

Han made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of the second Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou in east China. He also read out a congratulatory letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping at the ceremony.

Noting that digital trade is becoming a new trend of global trade development and a new growth point for the future, Han said China is ready to work with all other countries to jointly create an open, inclusive, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for the development of the digital economy.

Han highlighted unique advantages of China's digital trade development, such as massive data resources and rich application scenarios for trade digitalization.

China has taken digital trade as one of the three pillars to develop its trade sector, along with trade in goods and services, he said.

China will actively participate in the formulation of international rules and standards in the digital field and promote higher-level opening up in the field. It will continue to accelerate digital transformation and the development of cross-border e-commerce, improve digital infrastructure, establish pilot zones for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation and set up Belt and Road e-commerce market with partners, Han said, adding that these efforts will help safeguard the security and stability of global digital industrial and supply chains.

China is also willing to strengthen communications with all parties and make good use of the expo to achieve more pragmatic cooperation results, he said.

The expo is themed "Digital Trade, Global Access." About 1,000 representatives from 63 countries and regions and 68 international organizations and business associations attended the opening ceremony.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng visits an exhibition hall of the second Global Digital Trade Expo prior to the opening ceremony of the event in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 23, 2023. Han read out a congratulatory letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the expo and addressed the ceremony on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)