On 25 November 2020, co-hosted by the Development and Reform Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Cyberspace Administration, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), China-ASEAN Information Harbor and Digital Guangxi Group, the China-ASEAN Information HarborDigital Silk Road Industry Cooperation Forum was successfully held in Nanning.

     Mr. Liu Hongwu, Vice Governor of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Guo Chuanwei, Director of Trade and Investment Division of ACC, Mr. Dino Rachmadiana Kusnadi, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission of the Indonesian Embassy in China, Mr. Phoutsawanh Khounchantha, Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Lao PDR, Mr. Dao Viet Anh, Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Viet Nam, together with Chinese digital economy experts, scholars and entrepreneurs of about 150 people attended the activities. Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Former President and Former Speaker of House of Representatives of the Philippines, representatives from the digital economy or ICT authorities of AMS including the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of Indonesia, the Lao National Internet Centre (LANIC), the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) made video remarks, expressing the willingness to promote regional digital economy cooperation for win-win development.

     Vice Governor Liu Hongwu said that Guangxi is willing to work with the AMS within the framework of ACFTA and RCEP, and open a new chapter of digital silk road by following the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and speeding up the development of a broader and deeper Internet economy.

     Minister Dino said that ASEAN-China trade has reachedthepeak ofhistory. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of the digital economy in restoring economic and social development. ASEAN-China digital economy cooperation could bea new driving force for ASEAN economic growth. He hopedthat the two sideswill further consolidate the foundation of ASEAN-China cooperation and promote in-depth development of digital economy in the fields including information technology, finance, cross-border e-commerce and smart cities.

     Mr. Guo Chuanwei mentioned that 2020 is the Year of ASEAN-China Digital EconomyCooperation. ASEAN and China have solid foundation and comparative advantages in developing digital economy cooperation. Taking the digital economy as a new driver of economic growth,the two sidesshould deepen the industrycooperation of the digital silk road and speed up the process of economic and social digitalisation, to enhance competitiveness in the long run and realise mutual benefits.

      At the forum, officials in charge of digital economy, experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from ASEAN and China discussed the latest developments and business opportunities in digital economy. Achievements of international cooperation on digital silk road, smart cities and digital Guangxi were released and the China-ASEAN BigData Exchange Alliance was launched.

     With the theme of “Digital Silk Road, The Road Ahead”, the forum aimed to build a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation platform,promote the ASEAN-China digital economy industry cooperation anddigital silk road,and create a new engine for economic development of both ASEAN and China.