Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory letter to the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on the Digital Economy Industry and Smart China Expo 2021 (SCE 2021).

Hailing the rapid global development of digital economy, the Chinese president noted that emerging technologies, industry forms and platforms, such as 5G, artificial intelligence and smart cities, were profoundly influencing global technological innovation, industrial structural adjustments and socioeconomic development.

In recent years, China has been actively pushing forward digital industrialization as well as digitization of the industries to integrate digital technologies with socioeconomic development, said Xi.

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the SCO, the Chinese president stressed that China is ready to carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit" with other SCO member states.

China will strengthen international cooperation on digital economy and let digitization, networking and intelligentialization drive socioeconomic development and open up new avenues for cooperation on digital economy, Xi said.

The China-SCO Forum on the Digital Economy Industry and SCE 2021 began in China's Chongqing Municipality on Monday and will last three days.

Themed Developing the Digital Economy and Promoting Common Prosperity, the China-SCO Forum also features signing ceremonies for cooperation projects, sub-forums, and themed exhibitions attended by all 18 SCO countries, including China.

SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Imamovich Norov said China's development experience in the digital economy and cross-border e-commerce has provided an invaluable model for SCO countries to follow.

First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov addressed the opening ceremony to emphasize his conviction that the 2021 China-SCO Forum will explore new opportunities for regional cooperation. 

Turing Award Winner John Hennessy rounded off a successful grand opening by stating the SCE 2021 will lead SCO countries to a new frontier.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the digital economy has played an ever-important role in prevention and control while promoting economic and social recovery. As a result, the switch to digital technology has become an urgent goal, and Chongqing has continued to make rapid progress in this field. 

Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo addressed the audience at the opening ceremony online. She emphasized that technology is one of the four pillar sectors in the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative and a key driver in modern connectivity and services. 

The 2021 China-SCO forum aims to construct a broader platform for strengthening exchange and cooperation between Chongqing and SCO countries, especially in frontier areas such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence. 

SCE 2021 builds on the established theme of Smart Technology – Empowering the Economy and Enriching Life. It holds six forums, five competitions, and over 100 release events attended both online and offline by over 610 enterprises from 31 countries regions.

In-depth cooperation and exchange are to be held on the theme of economics and trade involving countries and top enterprises along the Belt and Road, while international organizations, sister cities, and industry leaders will actively participate.

Additionally, the event is an ideal platform to present the latest advances in technology and products in the smart industry, with a physical exhibition area of 70,000 square meters.

The online exhibition platform features a digital sand table model that guides visitors through a series of immersive and scenario-based experiences, showcasing some of the impressive feats achieved in smart technology development.