Chongqing (INP):The China—Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on the Digital Economy Industry and the Smart China Expo 2021 (SCE 2021) opened in Chongqing Monday, August 23rd,  and will last for 3 days. The opening ceremony and main forum were held together with an offline exhibition, while an online exhibition opened the SCE official website.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the China-SCO forum on the digital economy and 2021 Smart China Expo, which take place from August 23-25 as a mutual platform to share resources, planning and integration in the smart industry.

[caption id="attachment_89802" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to a China-SCO Forum on Digital Economy Industry and the Smart China Expo 2021 on August 23. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, read the letter and delivered a speech via video link. (Photo/ Smart Roadshow News Center)[/caption]

Themed with 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.

[caption id="attachment_89760" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Imamovich Norov delivered a speech online during the opening ceremony. (iChongqing/ Wang Yiling)[/caption]

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

[caption id="attachment_89761" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Mikalai Snapkou, representative of SCO delivered a speech online. (Photo/ Smart Roadshow News Center)[/caption]

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

The Turing Award Winner John Hennessy rounded off a successful grand opening by stating the SCE 2021 will lead us unto a new frontier.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the digital economy has played an ever-important role in prevention and control whilst 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.

Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Singapore, 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.

Under this context, 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.

[caption id="attachment_89764" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The physical exhibition is set up at the Chongqing International Expo Center. (Photo/ Smart Roadshow News Center)[/caption]

The SCE 2021 is continuing on the established theme of Smart Technology: Empowering the Economy and Enriching Life, and holds 6 forums, 5 competitions, over 100 release events, and is attended by over 610 enterprises from 31 countries both on and offline.

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, which present the impressive feats achieved in the development of smart technology.