PROPOSALS FOR "SHARED FUTURE"
Cyberspace is for all mankind. Its future should be in the hands of all nations. Countries should step up communication, broaden consensus and deepen cooperation, the president said.
Xi put forward five proposals to build a community of shared future in cyberspace.
He called for efforts to speed up the building of global cyber infrastructure and promote connectivity.
"China stands ready to work with all parties concerned to come up with more investment and technical support to jointly advance the building of global cyber infrastructure and enable more developing countries and their people to share the development opportunities brought by the Internet," Xi said.
Valeriy M. Matsel, consul general of Belarus in Shanghai, shared similar views to Xi in terms of information infrastructure and connectivity.
Information infrastructure is the foundation for adjusting and updating the economic growth mode, he said.
Matsel expressed his hope that China could increase investment and cooperation with Belarus in this regard via the Belt and Road Initiative.
Noting that Chinese information communication companies such as ZTE already have branches in Belarus, he looked forward to cooperation with more Chinese Internet companies in the future.
While stressing the building of an online platform for cultural exchanges and mutual learning, Xi also highlighted development of a cyber economy for common prosperity.
"The robust growth of China's Internet has provided a big market for enterprises and business starters of all countries," Xi said.
He also promised that China will remain open to foreign investment.
In addition, Xi called for measures to maintain cyber security and promote its orderly development, comparing security and development to "the two wings of a bird."
"All countries should work together to contain the abuse of information technology, oppose cyber surveillance and cyber attacks and reject an arms race in cyberspace," Xi said.
The president said China will work with all other countries to step up dialogue and exchange, and effectively manage differences.
"We should push for the formulation of international cyberspace rules accepted by all parties as well as an international convention against terrorism in cyberspace, improve the legal assistance mechanism to fight cyber crimes and jointly uphold peace and security in cyberspace," Xi said.
To promote equity and justice, the president proposed building an Internet governance system which features a multilateral approach with multi-party participation.
"There should be no unilateralism," he said. "Decisions should not be made with one party calling the shots or only a few parties discussing among themselves."
"All countries should step up communication and exchange, improve dialogue and consultation mechanism on cyberspace, and study and formulate global Internet governance rules, so that the global Internet governance system becomes more fair and reasonable and reflects in a more balanced way the aspiration and interests of the majority of countries," Xi said.
Jia Xiudong, a research fellow with the China Institute of International Studies, said Xi's views are in accordance with the common interests of the international community, and conducive to the Internet's orderly development.
As the largest developing country, China needs to express its views in face of global challenges as it can reflect the interests of other developing countries, bringing equity and justice to international governance, he added
World Economic Forum founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab said Xi's remarks on open cyberspace reflected the need for global cooperation.
"We should keep the Internet open and we have to work together on the global level which brings the dedication of the governments, businesses and individuals to shape the Internet in such a way that everybody has access and that Internet can really serve as an engine and catalyst for economic development," Schwab said.
