The 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit officially opened on Tuesday (November 3) in the ancient water town of Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote address.

Addressing the gathering, Premier Li noted that the World Internet Conference has convened for 13 consecutive years. In an era marked by rapid technological disruption, he stressed that a fundamental question remains paramount: how to better harness the internet for the well-being of all humanity. He recalled that at the 2015 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the vision of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace, providing China`s systemic solution to global internet development and governance challenges.

Premier Li elaborated on a three-point proposition:

First, internet development is undergoing an intelligent transformation and comprehensive upgrade. The integration of the internet with artificial intelligence and related frontier technologies is accelerating rapidly. The internet is no longer merely digital infrastructure, but an evolving lifestyle; not just a technical instrument, but an engine driving industrial upgrading; and not only an information carrier, but a catalyst for generating intelligent capabilities. Its impact on socioeconomic progress continues to grow broader and deeper.

Second, greater emphasis must be placed on human-centered values in digital advancement. The ultimate objective of internet development must remain fostering the all-round development of human beings. To this end, key priorities demand focused attention: preserving human agency and leadership in human-machine interaction; ensuring algorithms and artificial intelligence models maintain positive, ethical, and benevolent standards; safeguarding security in integrating digital technologies with the real economy; and actively bridging digital and intelligence divides.

Third, global stakeholders must work in concert to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, unlocking fresh development opportunities through technological innovation. China remains committed to open innovation, encourages cross-border technology transfer and knowledge sharing, and is prepared to partner with nations worldwide to cultivate an open, inclusive, and dynamic ecosystem for digital innovation.

Premier Li emphasized that China consistently respects the legitimate cybersecurity concerns of all countries. He called on the international community to join hands in addressing security threats and to firmly oppose the erection of any "digital iron curtain" or technological fragmentation.

The opening ceremony was attended and addressed by international dignitaries, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Spain. Approximately 1,800 delegates—comprising government officials, heads of international organizations including the United Nations, global tech executives, prominent scholars, and sector experts—are participating in the summit, which runs through November 5.

Source: Shishir, Alim, Akash | China Media Group (CMG)