China and Europe should strengthen 5G cooperation and jointly promote the development of digital economy

In September 2020, the "China-EU Business Dialogue" hosted by the European Union Chinese Chamber of Commerce was held online. Politicians and think tank experts from China, the EU and other countries held a video dialogue on the theme of "Opportunities and Challenges of Digital Economy Cooperation". On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the process of globalization, and the digital economy has experienced explosive growth during the pandemic. 5G, as the basic support for the construction of the digital economy, is facing the dual crises of public health and economic society. China and the EU should, under the comprehensive strategic partnership that has been established, open up technological cooperation more actively and jointly promote the process of economic digitalization.

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China has long attached importance to the development of information technology and has achieved great results in the fields of 5G and digital economy applications. The outbreak and spread of the epidemic have forced the development of the digital economy. E-commerce platforms, information interaction, remote services, etc. relying on the digital ecosystem will effectively help the new pattern of economic development, accelerate the adjustment of industrial structure, and promote the accelerated application of new technologies. In this era, China and countries around the world are exploring the development path of the new digital economy. The "White Paper on the Development of China's Digital Economy (2020)" released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology shows that in 2019, the added value of my country's digital economy reached 35.8 trillion yuan, accounting for 36.2% of GDP. This data clearly shows that digital efficiency plays an important role in accelerating the formation of a new pattern with the domestic big cycle as the main body and the domestic and international double cycles promoting each other.

The construction of new-generation information technologies such as 5G is crucial to promoting the development of digital application scenarios in various fields. The construction of new infrastructure that benefits the people, the government, and the industry, such as smart finance, smart industry, smart manufacturing, smart medical care, and smart city services, will be the ballast and new vitality to boost my country's economic growth after the COVID-19 epidemic. In March this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Notice on Promoting the Accelerated Development of 5G", which clearly proposed to accelerate the infrastructure construction and site deployment of 5G networks. At the same time, it made arrangements for the application scenarios of 5G technology, such as cultivating new consumption patterns, promoting the innovative development of "5G+medical health", implementing the "5G+Industrial Internet" 512 project, promoting the coordinated development of "5G+Internet of Vehicles", and building a 5G application ecosystem, as well as continuously increasing the research and development of 5G technology, building a 5G security system, and strengthening organizational implementation. The "5G+" model has developed from a concept to an application project. The empowerment of 5G networks and the integration with emerging information technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and big data will help all walks of life accelerate innovation and development and promote the rapid growth of the digital economy.

The epidemic has made all countries realize that strengthening cooperation and openness is crucial to promoting the development of the global economic pattern, and the digital economy is the fulcrum of global economic growth in the next decade. China and European countries should promote the development of 5G technology on a global scale, strengthen the integration of various fields with information technology, and develop a blue ocean map of the digital economy. According to the planning and deployment schedule of the European Commission's 5G PPP (Public-Private Partnership) cooperative research program, by 2020, it will support the development of trial systems and early commercial deployment, and will be close to the preparation for actual commercial deployment on a global scale, reaching a mature level of economic considerations. Europe's market application research on 5G has clarified that 5G technology provides essential network characteristics for the manufacturing industry. The application of 5G technology will enable operators and manufacturers to solve the most critical problems, including industrial control and automation systems, planning and design systems, and field equipment, empowering traditional industries and manufacturing industries, improving the competitiveness of traditional industries in the new economic pattern, and truly digitizing economic activities. In addition, the integration of traditional industries with 5G technology has also created new sources of income for 5G network operators and equipment manufacturers.

The development of 5G technology in China and Europe has laid a good foundation for cooperation between the two sides. The next step is to explore how 5G can empower traditional industries to jointly promote the digitalization of the economy. China and many EU countries have large-scale traditional industries such as industry and manufacturing. Both sides have faced the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on production and economic activities, making technologies such as the Internet, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence the foundation of the national economy. It is also at a critical juncture in the digital transformation of traditional enterprises and the development of a new digital economy. 5G has become the pillar of future economic development, promoting China and Europe to enhance consensus and strengthen mutual assistance and trust in the field of digital economy between the two sides, which is of great significance to promoting fair cooperation and good relations between China and Europe.