The 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference (GDEC)'s International Cooperation Forum series was held in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4.

GDEC's International Cooperation Forum series held in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4. [photo provided to China.org.cn]

Themed "Integration, Innovation, Win-Win: Co-creating a New Blueprint for the China-Europe Digital Economy," the Digital Economy Cooperation Forum was hosted by the GDEC Organizing Committee, and organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology (BMBEIT).

The event attracted more than 150 government representatives, corporate executives, industry association leaders from China, Spain and other European countries, and more than 60 overseas companies and institutions participated in it.

During the forum, the organizer held more than 20 government-enterprise matchmaking events, and the parties had in-depth exchanges on cutting-edge issues in the digital economy and reached a number of cooperation intentions.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. The forum, with the digital economy as the link, has effectively promoted China-EU digital friendly exchanges and practical cooperation.

In the Barcelona forum, Meng Yuhong, consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in Barcelona, said that China is willing to share development opportunities with the world and advocate inclusive economic globalization.

Facing the opportunities and challenges brought by digitalization, the international community should strengthen dialogue and exchanges, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and work together to build a more fair, reasonable, open, inclusive, secure, stable and vibrant cyberspace, Meng added.

Jiang Guangzhi, the BMBEIT chief, delivered an opening speech in the form of digital human. In his address, Jiang said that the capital city of China, as a pioneer in the global digital economy, actively implements the national digital economy development strategy, and Barcelona, as the core hub of the European digital economy, has obvious advantages in science and technology industry clusters. The two cities have broad prospects for cooperation in the field of digital economy.

Mario Rubert, director of Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, said in his speech that the Barcelona City Government regards China as a strategic priority. Nearly 20 years ago, the local government was very forward-looking and became the first Spanish public institution to establish a Chinese commissioner, laying a solid foundation for the long-term friendly cooperation between the two sides.

Joan Romero, executive director of ACCIÓ, an agency of the Government of Catalonia to promote business competitiveness through innovation and internationalization, said China is a leading country in science and technology and a benchmark, expressing the hope that the Catalonia region can strengthen cooperation with China in the economic, technological and social fields.

The Barcelona forum was the first time that GDEC had set up a branch venue in Europe. It was held in the Spanish city at the same time as Mobile World Congress. It was the first time that the two major international conferences joined hands, creating a new paradigm for cooperation.

On the sidelines of the forum, BMBEIT also held a business and investment promotion activity called "Night of Beijing" in the Spanish city.

Relevant persons in charge of the BMBEIT promoted Beijing's leading digital technology solutions in key digital economy industries such as autonomous driving, smart logistics, smart home, digital healthcare, and value-added telecommunications, combining core technologies, application scenarios, international promotion, and effectiveness cases.

Those participating in the activity think that it promoted the precise connection between industry-leading enterprises and leading technologies between China and the West, and between China and the EU, and it also provided innovative ideas and practical samples for the development of the global digital economy.

The GDEC has been successfully held for four sessions since 2021. It is committed to promoting more comprehensive international cooperation in the digital economy industry and promoting the friendly and sustainable development of the global digital ecology. The 2025 GDEC will be held in Beijing in July.

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