Shanghai seen playing major digital role

The Shanghai pilot program for international cooperation in the data sector was officially launched during the recent Tech Week Shanghai, where experts and business leaders from home and abroad called for more global exchanges and further ties in the fast-evolving artificial intelligence era.

With data becoming a key factor of production that drives economic and social development, digital cooperation is reshaping the landscape of global governance. As part of the global Tech Week series, the newly inaugurated Tech Week Shanghai aimed to build a platform that connects China and the rest of the world in data cooperation.

During the opening ceremony, Yu Ying, deputy head of the National Data Administration, said Shanghai stood among China's first batch of pilot cities for international cooperation in the data sector.

The city, which is aiming to become a global digital hub, has developed a substantive and well-defined implementation plan, outlining 17 specific tasks centered on leading infrastructure, mutual recognition of rules, platform empowerment and scenario integration.

Yu said she expects Shanghai to strengthen efforts in diverse aspects, including promoting interconnection with international data infrastructure, enhancing alignment of international rules and standards, fostering an international data service chain, supporting digital businesses in overseas expansion, and deepening opening-up and multilateral data cooperation mechanisms.

"China's digital economy is currently at a critical turning point in its global expansion, shifting from a focus on quantity to a focus on quality," said He Renlong, secretary-general of Shanghai Digital Enterprise Globalization Association.

Also, as overseas markets rapidly raise requirements for compliance, data sovereignty, localization and brand value, Chinese digital firms are changing their mindsets from merely selling products to participating in the globalization of industry chains, standards and the digital ecosystem, added He.

Southeast Asian countries continue to be the most popular destinations for digital companies in Shanghai to expand overseas, while Latin America and the Middle East are booming with rapid growth, followed by Central Asia, Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe, which are all emerging with great potential, said the association.

"Shanghai is home to a large number of global players, and is naturally well-connected with the world. For companies, going global is a long-term strategy. Amid the external uncertainties and various risks, we hope to support more local firms, especially small and medium-sized ones, to get rooted in overseas markets," said He.

Singapore has seen close international cooperation with Shanghai in the digital sector. Ville Kulmala, president of DAMA Singapore, sees the two sides as "similar" and the cooperation between them is "complementary and a very good match".

Kulmala said China has very good regulations, and is very smart with massive adoption and market management. Similarly, Singapore also has strong and transparent regulations. In the fast-moving AI era, one of the biggest challenges for companies in AI transformation lies in "data foundations and strategy".

"In China, you have companies natively born in the data era like Alibaba, and players like Huawei. They are doing huge business abroad, and helped companies become digitalized all over the world with their best practices," Kulmala added.

Milind, principal AI scientist at Mercedes-Benz, agreed with Kulmala that international data cooperation could find its way with technology to cross the existing "borders" or "national boundaries". They both see enormous common good and opportunities for all ahead, as the world today becomes more interconnected as a whole in the AI era.

"The speed of innovation in China is mind-blowing. We have to continuously keep learning from each other … We learn together, grow together, and that is the most powerful way to move forward," said Milind.

wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn