Both sides should carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road by promoting exchanges in policy, facility, trade, money, as well as people, contributing to the better life of people of both sides.
Nowadays, the new technology revolution led by information technology has been rising. As a leading force of innovation drive, the Internet has changed people's lives profoundly and pushed society forward to deeper development. On the ancient Silk Road Ali Baba, who was brave and savvy, found the cave where thieves hid treasure. He used the words "open sesame" to open the sealed cave, brought back the treasure and handed it out to the poor. He helped people have a happy life.
Jack Ma was inspired by the folk story and started his company Alibaba. He made a great success by promoting e-commerce among the world including people from Arab countries in just fifteen years. Tencent, Baidu, JD.com and Xiaomi are also outstanding Internet companies in China to have achieved success. The connectivity of the Internet and communication of information have created miracles for the world and China one after another.
Connectivity is the key to "One Belt One Road", and connectivity to the Internet comes first. The Internet will have a significant effect and bring fresh ideas to the ancient Silk Road in the first China-Arab States Expo Online Silk Road Forum.
The expo will bond China and Arab countries together as a benefit to a community of shared destiny. Ningxia is a fortress on the Silk Road and also the pivot of culture communication between Arab countries and China. We sincerely wish for a comprehensive cooperation on the Internet to be launched to build an online Silk Road and online Silk Road Ningxia key control project which will benefit people both in Arab countries and China.
First, a road to unblocked information flow. Information infrastructure is not only the cornerstone for developing the online Silk Road, but also the fundamental basis for developing exchanges and cooperation in cyberspace between China and Arab countries.
Together with Arab countries, we are willing to promote inter-governmental, inter-corporate and people-to-people pragmatic cooperation between China and Arab countries. We are willing to build an international online thoroughfare between China and Arab countries with Ningxia as a pivot point.
We will also speed up construction of regional cyber facilities and a communication cable network, prioritize the allocation of cyber infrastructure and promote the common use of 4G network and public WIFI, to break bottlenecks in information-based development such as digital divide and isolated digital island.
In this way, we hope all people in the region, especially the poor, could know the world, obtain information, grasp knowledge and generate wealth via the Internet. In order to lead a happy life, they need the Internet more than anybody else.
Second, a road to economic and trade prosperity. As China speeds up the promotion of its "Internet Plus" project, its digital economy including e-commerce and Intelligent Manufacturing is enjoying fast development.
E-commerce's trade volume in 2014 reached $2 trillion and is expected to make $2.8 trillion in 2015. There are more than 330 listed Internet companies with a total market value of $0.47 trillion, making "Internet Plus" the strongest voice in China's ‘new normal'.
We are looking forward to deepening cooperation on the digital economy with Arab countries and accelerating the building of a common market online. We also expect comprehensive cooperation in cross-border e-commerce involving inspection and quarantine and financial payment to boost development in various areas such as commerce and trade, logistics and tourism.
