Beijing has taken a significant step in boosting global digital economy ties by launching an alliance of over 40 cities from around the world. On Wednesday, the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance was unveiled during the Global Digital Economy Conference 2025 in Beijing.
The alliance, initiated by Beijing in collaboration with partner cities across Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America, aims to enhance multilateral cooperation in the digital economy sector. It seeks to move beyond bilateral projects and institutionalize collaboration on key issues such as digital infrastructure, cross-border data governance, artificial intelligence ethics, and smart city applications.
This initiative builds upon Beijing’s previous efforts, including the Global Digital Economy Partner City Cooperation Initiative launched in 2023. Last year, Beijing and its partner cities worked together to adopt six action plans to implement this initiative in 2024.
The newly established alliance has garnered support from international organizations such as the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the International Telecommunication Union, and the International Trade Centre.
The Global Digital Economy Conference, organized by the Beijing municipal government, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Data Administration, Xinhua News Agency, and the United Nations Development Programme, runs through July 5. The conference features an opening ceremony, six main forums, and multiple thematic sessions, with over 1,000 participants in attendance.
