Deepen international cooperation in the digital domain and actively participate in the process of building an international digital governance system, as this becomes the key arena where countries compete for discourse power over the redistribution of interests in the digital age.

深化数字领域国际合作，积极参与到国际数字治理体系构建的进程中，成为各国争夺数字时代利益再分配话语权。

“Digital China Construction Series (Lesson 12 of 13): Build an Open and Win-Win Pattern of International Cooperation in the Digital Domain,” Beijing Party Member Education Network, April 11, 2025

On April 11, 2025, the Beijing Party Member Education Network released a remarkable 13-lesson educational series on China’s national digital strategy, Digital China. Designed as a foundational introduction, the course targets Party cadre and members and is intended to raise awareness, elevate political understanding, and standardize implementation.

Lesson Twelve emphasizes that both the domestic digital governance ecosystem and international cooperation in the digital domain are crucial. The lesson also makes its central point unmistakably clear: international digital cooperation is a key arena in the global reconfiguration of technological and economic influence.

On February 27, 2023, the Central Government specified that the Digital China strategy would be formally implemented and synchronized across both the domestic and international environments, labeling these two environments the “Digital Governance Ecosystem” and “International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.”

Cultivating Competitive Advantages

The Digital China strategy utilizes both multilateral institutions and bilateral partnerships to cultivate competitive advantages, demonstrate technological leadership, and shape participation in an emerging digitalized global order. It views both the domestic digital governance ecosystem and international cooperation in the digital domain as crucial.

International Digital Exchanges and Standards Setting

To address shortcomings in high-level coordination and external engagement, the Party is actively developing new mechanisms for international digital exchangesand standards setting. These initiatives are part of a broader effort to respond to intensifying global competition and to play a leading role in shaping how digitalized development unfolds worldwide, all of this to ensure China has a greater stake in the redistribution of interests in the digital era.

Digital Silk Road and Silk Road E-Commerce

At the center of these efforts is the Digital Silk Road, which promotes digital infrastructure, technological collaboration, and cultural exchange across partner countries. Closely linked is the Silk Road E-Commerce initiative, which fosters bilateral cooperation in digital trade. Both platforms are designed to enhance China’s international presence while supporting the establishment of new norms and frameworks for the global digital economy.

Multilateral Digital Governance Platforms

China is also increasing its participation in multilateral digital governance platforms, aiming to help define the rules for cross-border data flows, digital trade, and cybersecurity. These efforts reflect a long term ambition to embed Chinese approaches into the future pathways for digitalized development, both nationally and globally.

A Series Roadmap

If you are new to Digital China, you may want to begin with my overview of the strategy and a shortlist of key concepts that cadre are expected to master. Both will help you navigate the lessons.

Let’s continue the series with Lesson Twelve:

Each lesson’s web address is linked to its original Chinese-language title. Note: Some of these links may have security certificate issues. For your safety, I’ve also embedded a clean, archived copy of each video in the corresponding post. You can choose which version to view, but I recommend using the archived copy for a safer experience.

“Digital China Construction Series 12: Build an Open and Win-Win Pattern of International Cooperation in the Digital Domain” (数字中国建设系列之十二：构建开放共赢的数字领域国际合作格局), Beijing Party Member Education Network (北京党员教育网), April 11, 2025

Archived Video

Speaker: Beijing Guoheng Zhilin Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. (北京国恒智林文化传播有限公司)

Length: 09:13 

Synopsis: The digital governance ecosystem and international cooperation in the digital domain form the two environments, “domestic and international,” of Digital China. To optimize the environment for digitalized development, it is essential not only to build an equitable and orderly digital governance ecosystem, but also to address two major bottlenecks: insufficient systemic planning and limited international discourse power. This requires efforts on two fronts: establishing a system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain and expanding the space for international cooperation in the digital domain. Ultimately, we strive to build an open and win-win pattern of international cooperation in the digital domain.

简介：数字治理生态和数字领域国际合作构成数字中国“一内一外”两个环境。优化数字化发展环境，除了建设公平规范的数字治理生态外，还要要着力破解统筹谋划不足和话语权不强两大瓶颈问题，从建立数字领域国际交流合作体系、拓展数字领域国际合作空间两方面部署，努力构建开放共赢的数字领域国际合作格局。

Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: digital governance ecosystem1 (数字治理生态), international cooperation in the digital domain2 (数字领域国际合作), environment for digitalized development3 (数字化发展环境), systemic planning4 (统筹谋划), international discourse power5 (话语权), system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain6 (国际交流合作体系), space for international cooperation in the digital domain7 (国际合作空).

Video Transcript and Translation:

Terminology shortlist and other key terms are highlighted in blue.

00:25

The digital governance ecosystem and international cooperation in the digital domain form the two environments, “domestic and international” of Digital China. To optimize the environment for digitalized development, we must not only build an equitable and orderly digital governance ecosystem, but it is also essential to foster an open and win-win pattern of international cooperation in the digital domain. The rapid advancement of digital technologies is driving profound transformations in infrastructure, element structure (i.e. factors of production), and the relations of production, while also accelerating the emergence of new type globalization powered by digitalization.

数字治理生态和数字领域国际合作构成数字中国 “一内一外” 两个环境。优化数字化发展环境，除了建设公平规范的数字治理生态外，还要努力构建开放共赢的数字领域国际合作格局。数字技术的快速发展，推动基础设施、要素结构、生产关系等发生深刻变革，也使得数字化驱动的新型全球化加速到来。

00:57

Data shows that from 2011 to 2021, the scale of global cross-border data flows increased more than 14-fold, while the volume of cross-border digital services trade grew from USD 2.15 trillion to USD 3.81 trillion. In 2021, cross-border digital services accounted for 63.6% of global services trade.

数据显示，2011~2021年，全球跨境数据流动规模增长超14倍，跨境数字服务贸易规模从2.15万亿美元增至3.81万亿美元。2021年跨境数字服务贸易在服务贸易中的占比达到63.6%。

01:19

Countries are more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. At the same time, the issue of uneven digital globalized development has become increasingly prominent. In 2021, the 4G network population coverage rate in the least developed countries was only 53%, far below the global average of 87.6% and the 98.6% coverage in developed countries.

各国之间的相互联系和彼此依存比以往任何时候都更频繁、更紧密。与此同时，数字全球化发展不均衡问题日益凸显。2021年，最不发达国家的4G 网络人口覆盖率仅为53%。远低于世界平均水平的87.6%和发达国家的98.6%。

01:48

The negative effects of digital technologies have also begun to emerge. Digital terrorism poses serious challenges to national, societal, and individual security. Geopolitical conflicts have amplified the risks associated with emerging technologies, placing digital security under significant threat. The United States and other Western countries are intensifying their restrictions and suppression of China’s digital sector, while international competition over digital rules, standards, technologies, and industries is growing increasingly fierce.

数字技术的负面效应也开始显现。数字恐怖主义对国家、社会和个体安全构成巨大挑战。地缘政治冲突放大了新兴技术风险，数字安全面临严重威胁。美西方对我国数字领域的限制打压不断加剧，围绕数字领域的国际规则、标准之争、技术之争、产业之争愈发激烈。

02:15

Deepen international cooperation in the digital domain and actively participate in the process of building an international digital governance system, as this becomes the key arena where countries compete for discourse power over the redistribution of interests in the digital age. This is not only a strategic priority and inevitable trend for building new national competitive advantages, but also a crucial action for our country to seize opportunities in digitalized development and proactively address emerging challenges.

深化数字领域国际合作，积极参与到国际数字治理体系构建的进程中，成为各国争夺数字时代利益再分配话语权。构筑国家竞争新优势的战略重点和大势所趋，也是我国把握数字化发展机遇、主动应对挑战的重要举措。

02:39

Moreover, international cooperation in the digital domain is also an important link for advancing China’s high-level opening-up to the outside world.  As General Secretary Xi Jinping stated in his congratulatory letter to the 2022 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, China is willing to work with countries around the world to jointly forge a path for Global Digital Development, one marked by jointly building and sharing digital resources, vibrant growth of the digital economy, precise and efficient digital governance, the flourishing of digital culture, robust digital security, and mutually beneficial, win-win digital cooperation. The aim is to accelerate building a Community of Common Destiny in Cyberspace and to contribute wisdom and strength to global peace, development, and the progress of human civilization.

不仅如此，数字领域国际合作还是推动我国高水平对外开放的重要纽带。正如习近平总书记致2022年世界互联网大会乌镇峰会的贺信所说、中国愿同世界各国一道，携手走出一条数字资源共建共享、数字经济活力迸发、数字治理精准高效、数字文化繁荣发展、数字安全保障有力、数字合作互利共赢的全球数字发展道路，加快构建网络空间命运共同体。为世界和平发展和人类文明进步贡献智慧和力量。

03:23

To actively foster a closely cooperative and mutually beneficial win-win Global Digital Development environment, it is essential to address two major bottlenecks: insufficient systemic planning and a lack of discourse power.

积极营造紧密合作、互利共赢的全球数字发展环境，需要着力破解统筹谋划不足和话语权不强两大瓶颈问题。

03:35

Efforts should focus on two fronts, establishing a system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain, and expanding the space for international digital cooperation in the digital domain, in order to build an open and win-win pattern for international cooperation in the digital domain.

从建立数字领域国际交流合作体系、扩展数字领域国际合作空间两方面部署，构建开放共赢的数字领域国际合作格局。

03:49

Establish a system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain. Systemically plan international cooperation in the digital domain by building a system characterized by multi-level coordination, multi-platform support, and multi-stakeholder participation.

建立数字领域国际交流合作体系。统筹谋划数字领域国际合作，建立多层面协同、多平台支撑、多主体参与的数字领域国际交流合作体系。

04:03

Promote the high-quality joint construction of the “Digital Silk Road” and actively advance “Silk Road E-Commerce.” The system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain refers to the mechanisms and platforms through which countries engage in cooperation and exchange in areas such as digital technology, the Digital Economy, and Digital Culture. This includes international organizations, international conferences, bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, and the Digital Silk Road itself. It spans multiple domains and involves a wide range of participating actors.”

高质量共建 “数字丝绸之路，” 积极发展 “丝路电商。” 数字领域国际交流合作体系，是指各国在数字技术、数字经济、数字文化等领域开展合作与交流的机制和平台。包括国际组织、国际会议、双边和多边合作机制、数字丝绸之路等，其内容涉及多个领域，包括多种参与主体。

04:31

Strengthening systemic coordination and forming a concerted effort among multiple actors is of paramount importance for advancing international cooperation in the digital domain. It is essential to fully leverage the roles of enterprises, social organizations, experts and scholars, and technical associations. Global planning should be intensified across areas such as technology, industry, diplomacy, security, and content. Coordination mechanisms should be improved to comprehensively advance collaborative governance of cyberspace both domestically and internationally.

强化统筹协调，形成多方合力，是做好数字领域国际合作工作的重中之重。要充分发挥企业、社会组织、专家学者、技术社团等参与主体的作用。从技术、产业、外交、安全、内容等领域加大整体部署，健全协调机制，全面推进国内国际网络空间协同治理。

04:59

The “Digital Silk Road” is China’s initiative for international exchange and cooperation in the digital domain. At the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017, President Xi Jinping proposed that innovation should drive development. He called for strengthened cooperation in cutting-edge fields such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and quantum computing, and for joint efforts to promote the development of big data, cloud computing, and smart cities, together forming a Digital Silk Road for the 21st century.

“数字丝绸之路” 是由我国提出的数字领域国际交流合作倡议。2017年， “一带一路” 国际合作高峰论坛开幕式上，国家主席习近平提出。要坚持创新驱动发展，加强在数字经济、人工智能、纳米技术、量子计算机等前沿领域合作，推动大数据、云计算、智慧城市建设、连接成21世纪的数字丝绸之路。

05:23

The initiative encompasses areas such as digital infrastructure construction, digital technology innovation, and digital cultural exchange. Its goal is to promote the adoption and application of digital technologies in Belt and Road countries, and to advance cooperation and development in the digital economy. High-quality joint construction of the “Digital Silk Road” includes strengthening industrial cooperation in the digital economy with participating Belt and Road countries, and supporting them in building high-quality, sustainable, affordable, and inclusive digital infrastructure.

倡议包括数字基础设施建设、数字技术创新、数字文化交流等方面的内容，旨在推动数字技术在 “一带一路” 沿线国家的推广与应用。促进数字经济的合作与发展。高质量共建 “数字丝绸之路，” 包括强化与共建 “一带一路” 国家的数字经济产业合作，帮助他们建设高质量、可持续、价格合理、包容可及的数字基础设施。

06:02

Jointly build laboratories and technology docking cooperation platforms and actively promote the establishment of bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms with more countries to expand “Silk Road E-Commerce” partnership relations. Support platform enterprises going global, providing services to users worldwide, and actively participating in international competition.

共建联合实验室和技术对接合作平台，积极推动与更多国家建立双边电子商务合作机制，拓展 “丝路电商” 伙伴关系。支持平台企业积极 “走出去，” 为全球用户提供服务，积极参与国际竞争。

06:21

“Silk Road E-Commerce” is a new platform for international cooperation designed to advance trade and economic cooperation under the “Belt and Road.” It aims to leverage China’s strengths in e-commerce technology, model innovation, and market scale to help shape international rules for the digital economy and to infuse the ancient Silk Road with new meaning in the digital era. By 2022, China had signed e-commerce cooperation memoranda with 28 countries and established bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms.

“丝路电商” 则是为了推动 “一带一路” 经贸合作而打造的国际合作新平台，旨在充分发挥我国电子商务技术应用、模式创新和市场规模等优势。构建数字经济国际规则体系，为古丝绸之路注入新的时代内涵。到2022年，我国已与28个国家签署电子商务合作备忘录，并建立双边电子商务合作机制。

06:54

Expand the space for international cooperation in the digital domain. Actively participate in cooperation platforms on the digital domain under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G20, APEC, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Promote the high-quality development of new open cooperation platforms in the digital domain and actively engage in the formulation of international rules on issues such as cross-border data flows.”

拓展数字领域国际合作空间。积极参与联合国、世界贸易组织、二十国集团、亚太经合组织、金砖国家、上合组织等多边框架下的数字领域合作平台。高质量搭建数字领域开放合作新平台，积极参与数据跨境流动等相关国际规则构建。

07:19

The 2022 Digital China Development Report summarizes that China has promoted the adoption of initiatives such as the “BRICS Digital Economy Partnership Framework” and the “China + Central Asia Five Countries Data Security Cooperation Initiative.” The World Internet Conference international organization was officially established, with members spanning over 20 countries across six continents. It also released a white paper titled Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace.

“数字中国发展报告2022年” 总结指出，中国推动达成 “金砖国家数字经济伙伴关系框架， “ ‘中国+中亚五国’ 数据安全合作倡议” 等。世界互联网大会国际组织正式成立，会员已覆盖六大洲20余个国家，发布 “携手构建网络空间命运共同体” 白皮书。

07:45

In recent years, guided by the goals of fostering a New Development Pattern and pursuing high-level opening up, China has actively participated in multilateral cooperation mechanisms and the formulation of international rules in the digital domain. It has taken part in WTO negotiations on e-commerce rules, promoted and participated in the development of the ‘G20 High-Level Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion,’ which were officially adopted during the G20 Hangzhou Summit.

过去几年，在构建新发展格局、实行高水平对外开放的目标要求下，我国积极参与数字领域多边机制合作及国际规则制定。全面参与了世界贸易组织电子商务规则谈判，推动和参与制定  “G20数字普惠金融高级原则，” 并在 G20杭州峰会期间正式通过。

08:09

These have become the first globally significant guiding principles for the digital economy. Since the proposal of the concept of ‘Building a Community of Common Destiny in Cyberspace‘ in 2015, China has successively advanced initiatives such as the signing of the ‘G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative’ in 2016, the launch of the ‘Global Data Security Initiative‘ in 2020, and the introduction of the ‘Global Development Initiative‘ in 2021, alongside hosting the World Internet Conference and the establishment of its corresponding international organization.

成为首个具有全球意义的数字经济重要指导原则。从2015年首次提出 “构建网络空间命运共同体” 理念。到2016年签署 “二十国集团数字经济发展与合作倡议，” 从2020年提出 “全球数据安全倡议。” 到2021年的 “全球发展倡议，” 从举办世界互联网大会到成立世界互联网大会国际组织。

08:40

China has actively advanced international cooperation and exchange in the digital domain through concrete actions, built high-quality platforms for open cooperation in the digital domain, and actively participated in the formulation of international rules related to cross-border data flows. These efforts have expanded the space for international cooperation in the digital domain and, together with other countries, fostered new digital drivers for global development.

中国以实际行动推动数字领域国际合作与交流，高质量搭建数字领域开放合作新平台，积极参与数据跨境流动等相关国际规则构建。拓展了数字领域国际合作空间，与各国一起培育全球发展的数字新动能。

Footnotes

  1. digital governance ecosystem (数字治理生态). The digital governance ecosystem is a “new structure and new content for national governance in the digital era” that better supports “the healthy and sustainable development of Digital China.” It consists of the following features: an improved legal and regulatory system, a new technology standards system, enhanced governance capacity, and purified cyberspace. See “Inside Digital China (11/13): Digital Governance Ecosystem.” ↩︎
  2. international cooperation in the digital domain (数字领域国际合作). Cooperation in the digital domain masks deeper competition over strategic interests. As Lesson 12 highlights, “Deepen international cooperation in the digital domain and actively participate in the process of building an international digital governance system. In the digital age, this is where countries use their discourse power to vie over the redistribution of interests,” see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  3. environment for (global) digitalized development (数字化发展环境). To optimize the “environment for digitalized development,” construction of the domestic environment (an equitable and orderly digital governance ecosystem) must be synchronized and integrated with construction of the international environment (an open and win-win pattern of international cooperation in the digital domain), see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  4. systemic planning (统筹谋划). Literally “coordinated planning” but contextually “systemic planning,” as this term integrates systems thinking (系统观念) into planning to address complex issues of economic and social development, see “Use Systems Thinking to Systemically Plan Economic and Social Development,” Economic Daily, January 24, 2022. ↩︎
  5. international discourse power (话语权). “The term “discourse power” today encompasses the broader goal of the Chinese Communist Party to achieve greater influence globally in the setting of economic and political agendas, and in the shaping of global public opinion – all seen as closely related to China’s comprehensive national power,” see Stella Chen, “Discourse Power,” The China Media Project Dictionary, May 30, 2022.  ↩︎
  6. system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain (数字领域国际交流合作体系). “The system for international exchanges and cooperation in the digital domain refers to the mechanisms and platforms through which countries engage in cooperation and exchange in areas such as digital technology, the Digital Economy, and Digital Culture. This includes international organizations, international conferences, bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, and the Digital Silk Road itself,” see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎
  7. space for international cooperation in the digital domain (数字领域国际合作空). “China has actively advanced international cooperation and exchange in the digital domain through concrete actions, built high-quality platforms for open cooperation in the digital domain, and actively participated in the formulation of international rules related to cross-border data flows. These efforts have expanded the space for international cooperation in the digital domain and, together with other countries, fostered new digital drivers for global development,” see “Inside Digital China (12/13): International Cooperation in the Digital Domain.” ↩︎