Nation's digital push gaining speed, edge

Boom of advanced technologies seen as new engine for economic growth

China's emphasis on accelerating the development of the digital economy and advancing the concept of "Digital China" will give the country a competitive edge in strategic emerging sectors and safeguard global security, said officials and experts.

Emphasizing that the boom of cutting-edge digital technologies has emerged as a new engine driving China's economic growth, they called for heightened efforts to push forward the construction of digital infrastructure, bolster the deeper integration of the real and digital economies, and promote technological innovation and the application of rapidly evolving artificial intelligence in a wider range of sectors.

When delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Second World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, in December 2015, President Xi Jinping said that China is implementing the "Internet Plus" action plan and advancing the building of a "Digital China".