Excellencies,Distinguished Guests,Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an enormous pleasure for me to get back to Wuzhen for the 6th World Internet Conference.
On behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres, I wish to thank the Cyberspace Administration of China and Zhejiang Provincial People's Government for hosting the event.
In today’s world, we are glad to see that China is not only a strong supporter of international cooperation, it also stands at the global frontier of Internet technologies. Among the 193 Member States of the United Nations, China has the most Internet users, accounting for 20 percent of the four billion users worldwide – and this number is growing rapidly.
Excellencies,
The Internet has brought about dramatic changes to the world. Because of the Internet, we see exponential growth in digital sectors, and the rise of the model of digital economy. Indeed, China’s digital economy is estimated at over $4.6 trillion US dollars
At the global level, the value of e-commerce was estimated to have reached $29 trillion in 2017, more than one-third of global GDP .
And all this occurs amidst life-changing Internet innovations – such as artificial intelligence, big data, machine learning, blockchains and the Internet of Things. Even these can be considered just in the infant stages of development.
Consequently, unfolding before us are not just opportunities, but also complexities, uncertainties and ambiguities. The Internet has drawn production closer to the consumer, affecting farmers and traditional trade and business. The artificial intelligence is changing the nature of jobs and reducing the demand for labour.
At the same time, internet threats are increasingly complex. Cyberattacks have, at times, brought down critical infrastructures of government and business. Data theft of health records has affected almost entire populations in some countries. Ransomware costs countries and companies billions of dollars.
Moreover, fake news and the use of “deepfake” technologies – in creating false but realistic video clips – have sparked a privacy backlash amid concerns about identity theft and security. Cybersecurity is now a daily concern for governments, and all industries.
Distinguished Guests,
The Internet is also changing the social fabric - both positively and negatively. In some cases, the effect is fragmenting.
For example, more wealth is being created among those who are ‘digitally literate’, which is estimated at over 50 percent of the world population. On the other hand, most of the ‘unconnected’ half of the world remains impoverished of opportunities, widening intergenerational gaps.
At the United Nations, we are committed to help countries in strengthening their digital capacities. We welcome partnerships and are ready to work with all stakeholders.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is clear that the Internet carries not only multiple economic and social dimensions, but also political and global governance dimensions.
For that reason, the Internet Governance Forum is convened by the United Nations Secretary-General, supported by my Department, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Convened annually since 2006, the 14th meeting of the Forum will be hosted by the Government of Germany in Berlin, on 25-29 November 2019.
I believe the World Internet Conference here at Wuzhen, and the Internet Governance Forum, play complementary roles, as platforms for discussions on openness and cooperation, and, as testbeds for new policy options on what is sometimes called the “good”and “evil” of the Internet.
The critical role of the Internet is to accelerate human progress. This is embodied in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders four years ago. We are now left with a decade to its implementation.
Only a few weeks ago at the SDG Summit in New York, the United Nations Secretary General issued a global call for a decade of action, to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Our actions, guided by science and accelerated by technology and innovation, over the next 10 years will therefore be critical.
It is therefore vital that the Internet and the digital economy continue to be put at the service of humanity.
This means reducing the digital divides and accelerating implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including eradicating poverty and mitigating climate change.
The United Nations attaches top priority to digital capacities and the value and impact of the Internet to the global agenda. We aim for an inclusive digital economy and society.
Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Government and tech leaders all have an important role in shaping the paths of Internet growth – to steer innovation to where it can improve people’s lives – in leaving no one behind.
With the rapid development of new technology, none of us alone can fully understand the forces of the Internet. But we can work together – between countries, between governments and industries, and involving academia across disciplines – to bring sustainable solutions to the many complexities. We can work together to build the public’s trust in the Internet. To be sure, exploring opportunities brought about by the Internet should not be like walking into a minefield.
I thank China for your leadership, and I applaud the organizers for the timeliness of the theme of this Conference – Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace, through Openness and Cooperation.
We count on all governments and tech leaders for your support, not only to share your insights, but to lead in how digital transformation can change the world in a sustainable way, in the decades to come – including its impact on prosperity, equality, privacy and security.
I wish the 6th World Internet Conference a great success.
Thank you.
It is an enormous pleasure for me to get back to Wuzhen for the 6th World Internet Conference.
On behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres, I wish to thank the Cyberspace Administration of China and Zhejiang Provincial People's Government for hosting the event.
In today’s world, we are glad to see that China is not only a strong supporter of international cooperation, it also stands at the global frontier of Internet technologies. Among the 193 Member States of the United Nations, China has the most Internet users, accounting for 20 percent of the four billion users worldwide – and this number is growing rapidly.
Excellencies,
The Internet has brought about dramatic changes to the world. Because of the Internet, we see exponential growth in digital sectors, and the rise of the model of digital economy. Indeed, China’s digital economy is estimated at over $4.6 trillion US dollars
At the global level, the value of e-commerce was estimated to have reached $29 trillion in 2017, more than one-third of global GDP .
And all this occurs amidst life-changing Internet innovations – such as artificial intelligence, big data, machine learning, blockchains and the Internet of Things. Even these can be considered just in the infant stages of development.
Consequently, unfolding before us are not just opportunities, but also complexities, uncertainties and ambiguities. The Internet has drawn production closer to the consumer, affecting farmers and traditional trade and business. The artificial intelligence is changing the nature of jobs and reducing the demand for labour.
At the same time, internet threats are increasingly complex. Cyberattacks have, at times, brought down critical infrastructures of government and business. Data theft of health records has affected almost entire populations in some countries. Ransomware costs countries and companies billions of dollars.
Moreover, fake news and the use of “deepfake” technologies – in creating false but realistic video clips – have sparked a privacy backlash amid concerns about identity theft and security. Cybersecurity is now a daily concern for governments, and all industries.
Distinguished Guests,
The Internet is also changing the social fabric - both positively and negatively. In some cases, the effect is fragmenting.
For example, more wealth is being created among those who are ‘digitally literate’, which is estimated at over 50 percent of the world population. On the other hand, most of the ‘unconnected’ half of the world remains impoverished of opportunities, widening intergenerational gaps.
At the United Nations, we are committed to help countries in strengthening their digital capacities. We welcome partnerships and are ready to work with all stakeholders.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is clear that the Internet carries not only multiple economic and social dimensions, but also political and global governance dimensions.
For that reason, the Internet Governance Forum is convened by the United Nations Secretary-General, supported by my Department, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Convened annually since 2006, the 14th meeting of the Forum will be hosted by the Government of Germany in Berlin, on 25-29 November 2019.
I believe the World Internet Conference here at Wuzhen, and the Internet Governance Forum, play complementary roles, as platforms for discussions on openness and cooperation, and, as testbeds for new policy options on what is sometimes called the “good”and “evil” of the Internet.
The critical role of the Internet is to accelerate human progress. This is embodied in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders four years ago. We are now left with a decade to its implementation.
Only a few weeks ago at the SDG Summit in New York, the United Nations Secretary General issued a global call for a decade of action, to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Our actions, guided by science and accelerated by technology and innovation, over the next 10 years will therefore be critical.
It is therefore vital that the Internet and the digital economy continue to be put at the service of humanity.
This means reducing the digital divides and accelerating implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including eradicating poverty and mitigating climate change.
The United Nations attaches top priority to digital capacities and the value and impact of the Internet to the global agenda. We aim for an inclusive digital economy and society.
Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Government and tech leaders all have an important role in shaping the paths of Internet growth – to steer innovation to where it can improve people’s lives – in leaving no one behind.
With the rapid development of new technology, none of us alone can fully understand the forces of the Internet. But we can work together – between countries, between governments and industries, and involving academia across disciplines – to bring sustainable solutions to the many complexities. We can work together to build the public’s trust in the Internet. To be sure, exploring opportunities brought about by the Internet should not be like walking into a minefield.
I thank China for your leadership, and I applaud the organizers for the timeliness of the theme of this Conference – Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace, through Openness and Cooperation.
We count on all governments and tech leaders for your support, not only to share your insights, but to lead in how digital transformation can change the world in a sustainable way, in the decades to come – including its impact on prosperity, equality, privacy and security.
I wish the 6th World Internet Conference a great success.
Thank you.
File date:
Sunday, October 20, 2019