And now we head to the small, picturesque water-town of Wuzhen -- in East China's Zhejiang province -- upon which the eyes of the world's tech savvy will be placed over the next three days. The World Internet Conference opens on Wednesday morning, and more than 1,000 industry heavy-weights are expected to be in attendance. Many of these will be Chinese, of course, and they will be showcasing the country's freshest tech creations, and discussing the concerns of its 710 million Internet users. The theme of this year's conference centers around the future of cyberspace.
For more on all this, our reporter Shi Wenjing reports from the 1,000-year-old town, that has become a real leader in tech innovation.
History has been kind to the east China town of Wuzhen, with its unique lifestyle along the waterways. Most of its traditions and folk customs have been well preserved. Nicknamed the Venice of the East, the water town is popular tourist destination -- it welcomed more than six million visitors last year. But quite apart from its idyllic setting, it's also a place which is seeing first-hand China's Internet technology boom. From public transport to elderly-care services, it's a sector which is playing a big part in the lives of the town's 60,000 residents. And the rest of China has noticed its potential -- it reported a 6.5% increase in domestic investment in the first six months of this year while it took in 11 million dollars worth of.
This was enough to beat its 12-month goal.
At the opening of the third World Internet Conference, a new landmark is in place to welcome the guests. Behind me is the Internet International Convention Center. To integrate tradition and modernity more coherently, some 2.6 million Chinese-style tiles top the external walls. More than 50,000 wire ropes are inside, representing the complexity of the Internet. The element of water is so predominant in this town of course. The venue consists of three centers for conferences, exhibitions and various reception. For the first time during the conference, cutting-edge scientific achievements from the world of the Internet will be showcased. With Wuzhen's rich history, how it's embracing Internet technology provides great hope for the future.
