The World Internet Conference (WIC) held a press conference in Beijing on July 3 to introduce the 2025 WIC Digital Silk Road Development Forum, which will be held in Quanzhou, East China's Fujian province, on July 24.

The forum is hosted by the WIC and co-organized by the Fujian provincial government, with support from the Quanzhou municipal government, the Cyberspace Administration of Fujian, and the Fujian Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

With the theme "Embracing the Digital and Intelligent Maritime Silk Road – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace", the forum will focus on digital trade under the Belt and Road Initiative and AI-driven private sector development, and smart, sustainable international transport.

Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC said at the press conference that hosting the forum in Quanzhou, the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, is a tribute to this shared heritage and a call to advance digital cooperation.

He emphasized the importance of building a shared future in cyberspace through deeper exchanges in e-commerce, data connectivity and smart port development.

Zhang Yan, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Fujian Provincial Committee, said that Fujian is not only a starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, but also a core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and a pioneer in building Digital China.

He noted that Fujian has fully leveraged its policy and innovation strengths to promote infrastructure, trade cooperation, open platforms, and cultural exchanges. Fujian will use the forum to explore new digital cooperation and strengthen global connectivity, he added.

Liu Linshuang, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Quanzhou Municipal Committee, said Quanzhou is actively advancing digital economy development and will take this forum as an opportunity to integrate the digital and cultural tourism sectors to further boost the real economy.

The forum will bring together senior representatives from international organizations, governments of countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, internet companies and academia.

Supporting activities include high-level AI governance discussions, training programs on digital innovation, and cultural performance that showcasing the integration of digital technology and traditional arts.