Xinhua News Agency, Hangzhou, November 3
Keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit
(November 3, 2026)
Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang
Dear guests,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends:
I am very happy to gather with all my old and new friends in the beautiful water town of Jiangnan to attend the 2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to extend my sincere welcome to all the guests! I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone for their long-term concern and support for the development of China’s cyberspace industry!
The World Internet Conference has been held for 13 consecutive years. Looking back more than ten years ago, 4G had just been rolled out, the "cloud" was still waiting for the "wind" to come, and artificial intelligence had not yet left the laboratory. Today, there are all kinds of new technologies available. The Internet has undergone earth-shaking changes. The Internet of Everything and Intelligent Internet have entered thousands of households and empowered thousands of industries. But we should also see that despite the rapid development of technology, a major proposition that people are generally concerned about has never changed, and that is how to make the Internet better benefit mankind. President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace as early as the 2015 World Internet Conference, providing a Chinese solution to Internet development and governance issues. Over the years, China has always insisted on working closely with the international community to promote innovative development and effective governance of the Internet. Nowadays, the Internet has been deeply integrated into people's production and life, and this once "technological increment" has become a "constant of the times." As technology continues to make breakthroughs and the world becomes increasingly integrated, this constant has gradually become a "historical variable" that affects the development of human society. We need to understand and grasp it from a future-oriented and broader perspective. I would like to take this opportunity to share three thoughts with you.
1. The development of the Internet is undergoing intelligent transformation and systemic transition.
At present, the Internet is accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain and other technologies, moving towards the intelligent Internet, which has a more extensive and profound impact on economic and social development.
First, the Internet is not only an infrastructure, but also a new way of life. After years of development, the Internet has become ubiquitous, available all the time, and omnipresent, and people use it every day without even realizing it. In the thousand-year-old ancient town where we are now, Internet elements are integrated in all aspects, and cloud interconnection, cyber dwelling, and smart life have become daily life. More and more new terminals such as intelligent connected cars, service robots, and smart glasses have become new tentacles of the Internet, shaping new lifestyles and creating unlimited possibilities for a better life.
Second, the Internet is not only a technical means, but also a driving force for industrial change. In recent years, the Internet has driven all walks of life to significantly improve efficiency and undergo profound changes by connecting online and offline, production and consumption, cities and villages. With the support of the Internet, the technology research and development cycle has been greatly shortened, customized and flexible production has flourished, and trade has broken through the limitations of time and space and has been greatly expanded. With the integration and superposition of the Internet and various new technologies, the integration and synergy of computing, electricity and digital networks will promote new leaps in industrial organization forms and production methods, and unleash greater economic growth potential.
Third, the Internet is not only an information carrier, but also an intelligence-generating force. Looking back on the past, whether from portals to search engines, or from online social networking to mobile Internet, the role of the Internet is the carrier and disseminator of knowledge and information. With the access of more and more large models and intelligent agents, the Internet is evolving towards intelligent connections and human-machine collaboration, and is beginning to possess the capabilities of self-learning, decision-making, execution, and evolution. This will further expand the boundaries of thinking, accelerate the emergence of group wisdom, and provide surging power and vitality for the progress of human civilization.
2. The development of the Internet in today's era needs to highlight the people-oriented value orientation.
Driven by new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet is evolving at an unimaginable speed. The development of the Internet is also standing at the crossroads of whether technology is supreme or people-oriented. Many people worry that once they fall into the trap of technological omnipotence and the humanistic spirit is overwhelmed by technological logic, innovation will go out of control and go astray, people may be hijacked, and civilization may be cut short. We believe that the ultimate goal of Internet development must be to promote the all-round development of people. We advocate the construction of a community with a shared future in cyberspace because we hope that Internet-related technologies can enhance people's capabilities, expand their choices, highlight their value, and enhance their well-being, instead of allowing people to become appendages of technology, let alone allowing technology to exacerbate the differentiation of human development. Starting from this consideration, there are several issues that deserve special attention.
The first is the distinction between “human and machine”. Under the conditions of intelligent interconnection of all things, the Internet deeply connects people and machines. The traditional relationship between "use and being used" between people and machines has become increasingly blurred. Many activities that only humans can complete in the past are gradually replaced by machines. Many people now say, "Machines are becoming more and more like people, while people are becoming more and more like machines." This has triggered concerns about people being controlled by machines and a sense of crisis about where humans will go. In the era of technological explosion, how humans and machines get along with each other, how to ensure that technology is always under human control, and how to maintain the spirit and characteristics of "being human" have become new challenges that need to be addressed urgently. The Internet and artificial intelligence should be an extension of human capabilities and a means of liberating people, rather than a comprehensive replacement of people. No matter how powerful the Internet is and how “human-like” artificial intelligence is, we must uphold the dominance of humans so that machines can always become a trusted tool for humans, helping humans achieve higher-quality employment and their own development.
The second is the ethical thinking of “algorithm model”. Although algorithm models are an important symbol of artificial intelligence, they have also penetrated into all aspects of the Internet. The Internet uses algorithmic models to serve people and also affects people subtly. While it brings high efficiency, it also has an impact on the traditional humanistic spirit and human ethics. People often lament, "The algorithm knows you better than you know yourself." When the algorithm only prioritizes efficiency, ordinary workers may be trapped in the system. When big data infringes upon rights and interests, the value principle of fairness and integrity may be undermined. When algorithmic bias amplifies disagreements, social antagonisms can intensify. When the information cocoon solidifies cognition, diverse knowledge and cultural exchanges may be hindered. The practice of human development shows that instrumental rationality and value rationality cannot be neglected. Technology should not only pursue efficiency first, but also carry the humanistic spirit and insist on upward goodness. It is necessary to use the common values of all mankind to build a solid foundation for the development of new technologies, so that new technologies can better serve people's will, meet people's needs, and follow the moral principles of human society.
The third is the security risk of "integration of data and reality". The Internet connects everything, connects reality and virtuality, and provides unprecedented convenience and opportunities to human society. It also brings unprecedented security risks. Once a new security risk breaks out, its scope will be wider, its approach will be more hidden, and its impact will become increasingly difficult to predict. Cyber attacks and data theft affect the stable operation of society, model “illusion” and data “poisoning” interfere with objective social cognition, and deep forgery and false information impact social trust. Today, as the integration of data and reality continues to accelerate, smart grids, smart homes, smart factories, etc. are present in various production and life scenarios. There is an urgent need for more controllable technological innovation, tighter security precautions, and more sufficient collaborative cooperation to better coordinate development and security, and jointly maintain the peace and tranquility of human society.
The fourth is the fair governance of the “digital intelligence gap”. Technological progress brings new development dividends, but it may also form new inequalities and development gaps. Areas lacking network coverage may become "digital islands" and people with insufficient digital literacy may fall into "digital dilemmas." In particular, new technologies such as artificial intelligence are developing at a higher level, with faster iteration speeds, and the Matthew effect is more obvious. Currently, more than 2 billion people around the world do not have access to the Internet. There is a huge gap between countries in terms of large artificial intelligence models, high-quality data sets, high-performance computing power, and high-speed communication networks. If effective measures are not taken, the imbalance of development between the north and the south and the social polarization between rich and poor may further intensify, and may eventually turn into a rift of the times. How to make the results of technological progress truly shared by all members of society and ensure that new technologies become public goods that benefit the world is an issue of the times related to the common welfare of all mankind.
3. Work together to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace
When the world becomes connected and machines begin to think, the future and destiny of mankind have never been so closely linked. Faced with the general trend of the times, in which the old and the new are changing, crises and opportunities coexist, and change and stability coexist, no country can be immune to it. The international community needs to build consensus, move in the same direction, and work together to build a cyberspace community with a richer future.
First, adhere to technological empowerment and open up new development space. The rapid development of the Internet and artificial intelligence has brought major opportunities. We should increase scientific and technological innovation, encourage open source and openness, strengthen joint research, and support the large-scale application of new technologies and new products. China will continue to pursue innovation with an open door, promote technology transfer and knowledge sharing, work with other countries to create an open, inclusive and dynamic global digital innovation ecosystem, jointly promote the innovative development of the Internet, and inject new momentum into global economic growth.
Second, adhere to trustworthiness and controllability and build a strong digital security barrier. The more technological innovation accelerates, the tighter the safety reins must be held. We should adhere to a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, comprehensively strengthen practical cooperation on security in the digital field, and prevent out-of-control and misuse of technology. At the same time, we must oppose the generalization of the concept of national security and the construction of a "digital iron curtain." China will always respect the legitimate concerns of all countries on cybersecurity, work with all countries to respond to security challenges, and jointly build a strong digital security barrier.
Third, adhere to the balance of inclusiveness and promote the sharing of digital dividends. Bridging the digital intelligence gap is related to global equitable development and long-term development. We should pay full attention to the demands of all countries, especially countries in the Global South, and make greater efforts to promote inclusive development and prevent new injustices. China will actively implement global development initiatives and support countries in the Global South to build digital infrastructure, cultivate digital talents, and improve digital technology capabilities, so that the dividends of digital intelligence can better benefit the world.
Fourth, adhere to open dialogue and improve the multilateral governance system. Countries have different cyberspace governance concepts and paths. It is normal to have differences on some issues. Collaboration and cooperation should be strengthened and frictions cannot be artificially aggravated. We should practice true multilateralism, find the greatest common denominator, and promote global Internet governance in a more fair and reasonable direction. China will adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, actively build a platform for dialogue and consultation, and contribute more Chinese wisdom to improving cyberspace governance.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends, the speed of Internet development and the changes it has brought are astonishing, and Wuzhen is a vivid epitome of this great change. This thousand-year-old ancient town with white walls, black tiles, small bridges and flowing water has now become a world stage leading the development trend of the Internet. Here, historical accumulation and changes of the times stir up each other, humanistic spirit and scientific and technological power complement each other, and ideological consensus and practical actions are organically unified. Here, we feel the beating pulse of the cutting-edge technology industry, appreciate the powerful power of digital intelligence empowerment, and feel the fruitful results of exchanges and cooperation. The same ancient town, but a different Wuzhen. We hope that the light of the Internet in Wuzhen will shine even brighter. Facing the surge of digital intelligence, China is willing to work with the international community to promote digital intelligence technology to better serve global development and enhance human welfare.
I wish this World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit a complete success! Thank you all!
