World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Forum Opens in Xi'an

The 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Digital Silk Road Development Forum officially commenced in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, on July 22. Hosted by the WIC and organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Government, the forum focused on building a digital future and a shared cyberspace community among Silk Road countries.

The event saw around 800 attendees from more than 50 countries and regions, alongside representatives from seven international organizations. Speakers at the opening ceremony included ministers from Cuba, Bangladesh, and Senegal, along with officials from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and leaders in the AI sector.

Following the opening, a ministerial meeting discussed key areas such as e-commerce cooperation along the Silk Road, the development of AI agents, digital healthcare solutions, and the preservation of cultural heritage in the digital age. The discussions aimed to foster consensus and strengthen collaboration among Belt and Road partner countries to capitalize on digital advancements.

During the forum, the 2026 World Internet Conference Cultural Heritage Digitalization Case Collection was released. Several capacity-building activities were also conducted, including programs on AI-driven digital trade and workshops on intellectual property's role in cultural heritage digitalization.