The Second Global Digital Trade Expo opened in Hangzhou. Han Zheng read out the congratulatory letter from Xi Jinping and delivered a speech. Yi Lianhong, Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abraham, and Dilma Vana Roussef delivered speeches. Wang Hao presided over the opening ceremony. Hu Henghua and Liu Jie attended the ceremony.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng read out the congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the second Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Han Zheng said that the special congratulatory letter sent by President Xi Jinping fully reflects the firm determination of the Chinese government to work with other countries to build an open world economy and promote the prosperity and development of global digital trade.

Han Zheng pointed out that digital trade is becoming a new trend in the development of international trade and a new growth point for future development. China’s digital trade development has a unique advantage, with massive data resources and rich digital application scenarios for trade. China has listed digital trade, trade in goods and trade in services as the three pillars to support the building of a strong trading country. We are ready to work with other countries to create an open, inclusive, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for the development of the digital economy, and jointly promote the high-quality and sustainable development of global digital trade.

Han Zheng said that China is willing to uphold the globalization ideal of win-win cooperation, actively participate in the formulation of international rules and standards in the digital field, explore more results of institutional opening up, and promote a higher level of opening up in the digital field. China will continue to accelerate digital transformation and the development of cross-border e-commerce, promote the construction of digital infrastructure, build the Silk Road E-commerce cooperation pilot zone, build the Belt and Road e-commerce market with partners, and maintain the security and stability of the global digital industrial chain and supply chain. China is willing to strengthen communication with all parties, seek common ground while shelving differences, make good use of the Global Digital Trade Expo as an international public service goods, and promote more practical cooperation outcomes.

Yi Lianhong, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Congress, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Wang Hao, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor, presided over the opening ceremony. Hu Henghua, Deputy Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, attended the opening ceremony.

Yi Lianhong welcomed the guests attending the conference. He said that President Xi Jinping attached great importance to the development of the digital economy and had been forward-looking in the construction of “digital Zhejiang” during his work in Zhejiang. This time, President Xi sends a congratulatory letter to the Second Global Digital Trade Expo to make clear requirements, which pointed out the way forward for us. Over the past 20 years, Zhejiang has adhered to a blueprint to the end, continued to promote the construction of “digital Zhejiang”, and the proportion of digital economy added value in the province’s GDP exceeded 50% in 2022.  We will fully implement President Xi’s influential instructions, muster up courage to take the lead, and strive to answer the calls of the new era, the new orientation and the new mission. We will double down on the three “No. 1 projects”, spare no effort to build a digital innovation highland, and strengthen research on key core technologies in the digital field. We will fully stimulate the vitality of the digital industry and build a world-class digital industry cluster; We will make every effort to promote the development of digital trade, steadily expand institutional openness, and accelerate the construction of a global digital trade center that is innovative, dynamic, open and win-win.　　

At the opening ceremony, Vice Minister of Commerce Guo Tingting, Minister of Small Business Development of South Africa Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams, Ambassador of Finland to China Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff delivered speeches. Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Mathias Cormann Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization Zhang Xiangchen delivered video messages. Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee Liu Jie released the Hangzhou Initiative on Digital Trade Development and Cooperation.

The expo, themed on “Digital Trade, Global Access”, attracted about 1000 delegates from China and 63 countries and regions, 68 international organizations and foreign business associations to the opening ceremony.

Before the opening ceremony, Han Zheng inspected the exhibition pavilions, listened to the report, interacted with the heads of exhibitors, and visited the New H3C Group booth to investigate its digital business. Yi Lianhong, Wang Hao, Liu Jie, etc. also joined in the inspection.

Leaders of relevant state ministries and commissions, foreign dignitaries, officials of embassies and consulates in China, heads of international organizations, provincial (autonomous region) leaders, Zhejiang provincial leaders Qiu Qiwen, Lu Shan, Zhang Xuewei, Hangzhou City leaders Yao Gaoyuan, Li Huolin attended the opening ceremony.