The 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference is scheduled to take place from July 2 to 5 at the China National Convention Center. Themed "Build a Digitally Friendly City", this year's conference is expected to enhance its significant and practical role in promoting institutional openness of and fostering multilateral cooperation in the global digital economy. The conference has attracted over 300 international guests from more than 50 countries and several key international organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the China-Central Asia Mechanism.

The conference will focus on developing a new international cooperation platform, making the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) a co-host of the conference for the first time. During the conference, the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance will be founded, and efforts will be made to support the International E-sports Committee in setting up its representative office in Beijing. A new model for global collaborative development will also be created. Sub-venues will be set up in Barcelona (Spain) and Dubai (UAE). This year's conference will also forge in-depth collaboration with the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Spain and the Futuromundo, a sci-tech and cultural festival in Germany.

This year's conference will adopt a "1+6+N" framework featuring one opening ceremony, six main forums, nearly 50 thematic forums and a series of year-round sub-events. The six main forums are the Global Dialogue on Digital-Friendly Cities, the Digital Economy Outbound International Cooperation Forum, the Artificial Intelligence Integration and Application Development Forum, the Data Elements Development Forum, the Global Digital Economy Conference Digital Security Forum, and the China Academic Annual Conference on Digital Economy Development and Governance. The Data Elements Development Forum will be a key highlight, aimed at promoting the quality development of the data element market through presentations of innovative achievements, roundtable discussions, and regional cooperation, among other means.

Five major featured sub-events will also be launched, namely the Digital Economy Experience Week, an international exchange and cooperation experience zone for the digital economy, the 2025 Global Digital Economy Innovation Competition, a section for the "First Release and Debut", and a section for releasing achievements. Through immersive experiences, a global competition, and releases of cutting-edge products, these sub-events are aimed at promoting deep integration between digital and real economies, thereby fully demonstrating the innovation vitality and diversity of the digital economy. Notably, the Digital Economy Experience Week will include a 6,000-square-meter interactive center at Beijing Fun to offer tangible, sensory, and participatory digital entertainment experiences.

(Sources: Beijing Youth Daily, The Beijing News, Beijing Daily)