President Xi Jinping is set to address the World Internet Conference next week in Wuzhen, a historic water town in eastern Zhejiang province.
Never before has China, the world's largest Internet market of more than 600 million users, seen the World Wide Web as a key driver of economy. The whopping 100 billion yuan ($15.51 billion) turnover on an online shopping festival in November testifies to the importance of the Internet to Chinese people's daily lives.
At state level, growing threats of cyber hacking, online surveillance and other Internet-based crimes put China on high alert about information safety.
That's why Xi cares about the development of the Chinese Internet sector.
Here is a selection of moves Xi has made since becoming president to make the Internet an interconnected world shared and governed by all.
Dec 16, 2015 - Xi will address the 2nd World Internet Conference
President Xi Jinping will attend the 2nd World Internet Conference, scheduled to be held from Dec 16 to 18, in the riverside town of Wuzhen in East China's Zhejiang province.
His appearance and the expected keynote speech show government's attention and support to cyberspace development.
Compared with the first conference last year, the number of guests has increased with more than 2,000 participants from home and abroad expected to attend the event, said Lu Wei, minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China.
About 50 percent will be from foreign countries, including eight foreign leaders and nearly 50 minister-level officials.
The theme of the upcoming conference is mutual connection on networks and mutual governance in cyberspace.
