2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Spain and China, as well as the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the EU and China. China and Europe continue to deepen cooperation in numerous fields including trade, economics, and culture, ushering in unprecedented development opportunities. Against this backdrop, the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference (GDEC) will host a series of events including an international cooperation forum in Barcelona, Spain on March 4, marking the conference's first European venue. Themed "Integration, Innovation, Win-Win: Co-creating a New Blueprint for the China-Europe Digital Economy," the forum will focus on digital inclusion and digital development, promoting the flourishing development of the China-Europe digital economy, and will showcase the broad prospects of China-Europe cooperation through four key highlights, injecting new vitality into the global digital economy.

Highlight 1: First European sub-venue expanding global digital cooperation network

The GDEC, as a flagship platform promoting international exchange and cooperation in digital friendship, has successfully held four sessions since its founding in 2021, accumulating widespread influence globally. As a core participant in the conference, Beijing has actively played a leading role, having initiated the Global Digital Economy Partner Cities Cooperation Initiative with 30 international cities, promoting the development of an open innovation network for the digital economy between global cities under international multilateral and bilateral frameworks.

The conference to be held concurrently with the Mobile World Congress (MWC), will further expand the global digital economy partner network, deepening inter-connectivity and interoperability in the digital economy field among Europe, Asia, and other regions.

Highlight 2: Distinguished guest lineup discussing digital cooperation development

The Barcelona venue will feature a variety of activities, including the Digital Economy International Cooperation Forum and the "Beijing Night" enterprise exchange event. Of particular note is the participation of leaders from the Catalonia Trade & Investment Agency, the director of the International Economic Promotion Office of the Barcelona City Government, the president of the China-Europe Digital Association, the president of GSMA Greater China, and the chief procurement officer of Faurecia Automotive International.

Leaders and experts from China and Europe will engage in in-depth discussions on topics such as digital economy development trends, international cooperation experiences, digital enterprise overseas expansion, and digital technology empowerment application scenarios, jointly promoting new developments in China-Europe digital economy cooperation.

Highlight 3: Establishing European Overseas Service Center to support efficient business expansion overseas

The Beijing Digital Economy Enterprise Overseas Innovation Service Base, as a landmark project in Beijing's development as a global digital economy benchmark city, has become a key initiative for the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology to promote international cooperation in the digital economy. During the event, strategic cooperation agreements will be signed with organizations such as the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, promoting the establishment of the first European Overseas Service Center and further expanding the international cooperation network with Europe. The overseas service base will closely connect with the Spanish government, business associations, overseas service ecosystems, and business resources, and will take the lead in building channels for demand and supply matching, collecting global orders, and attracting global digital economy enterprises to focus on and establish a presence in Beijing. This will inject continuous momentum into the high-quality development of Beijing's digital economy.

At the forum, the first-ever introduction of typical digital economy solutions from Beijing will be launched, targeting the needs of the Spanish and European markets. The focus will be on key industry sectors such as smart energy, autonomous driving, smart logistics, cross-border e-commerce, and AI large models. Leading companies and advanced technologies in these sectors will be showcased to facilitate precise matchmaking between Chinese and Spanish businesses, as well as between Chinese and European businesses, helping Beijing's digital technology enterprises expand efficiently overseas.

The forum will also facilitate the implementation of a series of cooperation agreements. Notably, the overseas service base will join the business association network with the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, the China-Europe Digital Association, the Catalonia Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, and GSMA and the Catalonia Beijing Association. GSMA will also collaborate with the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology to sign multiple strategic cooperation agreements.

Highlight 4: Active enterprise participation helping build China-Europe digital economy exchange bridge

In addition to the Digital Economy International Cooperation Forum, the "Beijing Night" enterprise exchange will also be a highlight of this year's conference. The exchange will showcase the development achievements of Beijing's digital economy while providing a quality platform for direct dialogue and in-depth talks between Chinese and foreign enterprises, promoting exchanges and cooperation in technology, markets, talent and other aspects.

The conference has already received active responses from many enterprises, with Chinese companies including Huawei, Yonyou Network, iSoftStone, China Telecom, and ZTE, and foreign companies including SEAT, Faurecia Automotive, Stefani International Exchange, ROCA, and Spanish Babylan confirming attendance. More than 150 Chinese and foreign enterprise executives are expected to attend, conducting over 20 government-enterprise connection activities.

It is worth mentioning that among the participating enterprises, there are many telecommunications companies. As a national value-added telecommunications business pilot city, since being approved to carry out pilot work in 2024, Beijing has actively helped enterprises promote its value-added telecommunications business abroad. Through exchanges and cooperation with overseas telecommunications enterprises, it expands cooperation opportunities and achieves mutual benefits and win-win results. As the conference will be held concurrently with the WMC, Chinese enterprises will also leverage platform advantages to actively conduct preliminary connections with overseas telecommunications enterprises, vigorously promote cooperation, and jointly advance the development of the global digital economy.

The Barcelona forum is hosted by the Global Digital Economy Conference Organizing Committee and organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. The conference organizing committee will also formally invite European institutions including the Catalonia Enterprise Development Bureau and Barcelona Chamber of Commerce to attend the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference to be held in Beijing in July for further cooperation exchanges to promote China-Europe digital development.

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