Infoforum Shanghai 2018: China and Russia to Collaborate on New Digital Economy Technologies

China and Russia have “great potential” for collaboration in the emerging global digital economy, according to Konstantin Noskov, the Russian Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media.

Speaking at the 9th Infoforum-China conference in Shanghai, he stated that “Today’s information and communications technologies (ICT) represent the basis of global economic growth that allows countries all over the world to ensure rapid development of their national economies. It is indisputable now that digitization of economy is impossible without an advanced, secure and stable ICT infrastructure. However, most software that is used by everybody is produced only by a few companies. This situation hampers health competition and introduction of promising ides, on the one hand. On the other hand, it cannot ensure the necessary level of information and network security.  It is especially important now to make joint efforts to de-monopolize the global software market. I think it is necessary to concentrate on developing competition and finding new solutions. In this regard, I would like to draw your attention to the positive dynamics of cooperation between Russia and China, the increasing number of joint ICT projects, as well as to a great potential for bilateral cooperation in digital economy.”

The Infoforum-China platform was set up by both China and Russia to facilitate inter-state cooperation in such spheres as innovation and experience exchange in digital technologies and information security. The theme of this year’s event was “One Belt One Road: Cooperation in Digital Economy and Information Security” and was sponsored by the Cybersecurity Association of China, Cloud Security Alliance (Great China Region) and other professional associations and organizations of China. On the Russian side the Conference was supported by the Security Council of the Russian Federation, the Committee of the Russian State Duma for Security and Anti-Corruption, the Ministry of International Affairs and the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communication.

Along with representatives of other Belt & Road nations, the conference discussions included:

• Digital Economy: Global Risks and International Cooperation.
• The Economic Belt of the new Silk Road. Russia, China, Asia: issues of Economic Integration and Cross-Border Cooperation.
• E-Government, Sustainable Communication, Public E-services: Digital Transformation and Protection of the Information.
• Digital City / Digital Region. Data Centers: Implantation and Security of Cloud Technologies, Big Data and Blockchain Technology.
• Safe City and Situational Centers. Smart and Analytical Solutions for International Terrorism Counteraction.
• Digital Solutions for the development of Transport Infrastructure and establishment of New Transport Routes. Issues of Information Security.
• Finance in Digital Era: Information Security for Banking, Payment Systems and Trading Platforms.
• Training directions for Information Security specialists.

Both China and Russia have invested significantly into digital technologies and in some areas are ahead of many countries in the EU. The implications of this are discussed in a report by Chris Devonshire-Ellis, entitled “Winners & Losers In The EU’s Digital Connectivity With China And The Belt & Road“.