12:00–13:00 UTC | 14:00–15:00 CEST | 20:00–21:00 Beijing
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On 20 April 1994, China connected to the internet. It was one of the most important developments in the digital history of the 20th century. Digitalisation has been the engine behind the rise of the Chinese economy, lifting millions out of poverty. China displays a vibrant digital economy and is home to many leading digital companies.
In the 1990s, US technology was primarily employed to build the ‘eight vertical and eight horizontal’ fibre-optic backbone, a nationwide grid-shaped fibre-optic network representing the core of the Chinese internet. As globalisation boomed, China and the West became increasingly intertwined through growing flows of trade, finance, and by the decentralisation of production. The use of Chinese platforms has grown. China has also enacted a wide range of digital legislation on data security, personal information protection, and digital governance.
In less than two decades, however, telecommunications and mobile technology have become the first well-established fields of geopolitical rivalry between the USA and China. This dispute for leadership is spreading through a vast array of so-called ‘critical and emerging technologies’, including artificial intelligence (AI). Tension is rising between the two digital powers, and measures have been put in place to restrict access to each other’s digital markets.
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On the occasion of the 30th anniversary, Diplo will host a discussion focusing on the past growth and future challenges of Chinese digitalisation.
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The discussion will address, among others, the following questions:
- What is the significance of the last 30 years of internet deployment in China for developing the global internet?
- What are the expectations for the future of China’s internet?
- What are the main trends in AI and digital regulation in China?
- What is China’s current and potential future role internationally in AI and digital governance?
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Panellists
- Jovan Kurbalija, Director, Diplo; Head, Geneva Internet Platform
- Lee Xiaodong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Fuxi Institution; Professor, Tsinghua University
- Liu Hao, Executive Chair, School of Global Governance, Beijing Institute of Technology
- Rogier Creemers, Assistant Professor and Lecturer, Modern Chinese Studies, University of Leiden
- Sorina Teleanu, Director of Knowledge, Diplo
Moderator
- Marilia Maciel, Head of Digital Commerce and Internet Policy, Diplo
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To my understanding, all this happened because of two significant events. The internet, an epoch-making innovation, sprang up from the West, while in China, we had been in the Reform and Open-Door Age.
Because of these two significant events, with the impact of the internet, China started to embrace the world market, and China's booming economy became world-shaking. At the same time, because of China's joining, the world also changed profoundly.
Hu Qiheng
China’s Internet Pioneer and Global Connector
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Organised in partnership with the Fuxi Institution
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