Lu Wei, minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China speaks at the China-ASEAN InformationHarbor Forum opening ceremony in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on September 13, 2015. [Photo/people.com.cn]

Honorable Party Secretary Peng Qinghua,

Honorable Minister of Post and Telecommunications Hiem Phommachanh,

Honorable representatives from the ASEAN countries,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning! We are gathered here in the picturesque city of Nanning on this golden autumnday to participate in the China-ASEAN Information Harbor Forum, and compose a new chapterof cyberspace cooperation between China and the ASEAN countries. On behalf of theCyberspace Administration of China, I warmly welcome all guests and friends here at this forum,and extend our heartfelt gratitude to Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which made this forumpossible.

China and the ASEAN countries are connected geographically, genetically and culturally, andhave been good neighbors and partners since ancient times. The millennial Maritime Silk Roadhas witnessed the prosperity of sea trade, promoted the exchange and fusion of the East and theWest, and brought closer China and the ASEAN countries. Facing the future, China's PresidentXi Jinping proposed that China and the ASEAN countries jointly build a China-ASEANcommunity of shared destiny and enhance our connectivity by constructing the 21th CenturyMaritime Silk Road to improve the well-being of people across the region. The rejuvenation of theancient Maritime Silk Road provides huge historical opportunity to China and the ASEANcountries.

Last year, the first China-ASEAN Cyberspace Forum was a success. It proposed to build theChina-ASEAN Information Harbor which features five platforms for infrastructure construction,information sharing, technological cooperation, economic and trade services, and culturalexchanges. The proposal was echoed and recognized by participants to the forum. President XiJinping pays close attention to building the China-ASEAN Information Harbor. Nationaldepartments, including the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Developmentand Reform Commission, have made detailed plans to build the harbor with Guangxi Zhuangautonomous region. Guangxi has been earnestly carrying out President Xi's instructions aboutpositioning Guangxi in the new historical period, so it can build a great international passagelinking the ASEAN countries, a strategic stronghold of regional development and a pivotal portalfor the Belt and Road Initiative, and promote the construction of the information harbor.

Through the joint efforts of all parties, the construction of the information harbor has madeachievements in five aspects of the project. First, the parties have reached consensus on theChina-ASEAN Information Harbor, which has an increasingly prominent role to play and becomean important part of the Belt and Road initiative. Second, the overall plan for the China-ASEANInformation Harbor takes shape with the construction of the five platforms, pushing ahead in acomprehensive way. Third, key areas for cooperation have been established, covering more than10 key projects and dozens of specific tasks. Fourth, key projects based in Guangxi and lookingtoward the ASEAN countries have taken foothold, including four cross-border cables on land andin the sea, the China-ASEAN Information Harbor base and the China-ASEAN E-commerceIndustrial Park. Fifth, the harbor has promoted comprehensive exchanges between China andASEAN in cyberspace, leading to heated cooperation among Internet enterprises, a largenumber of cooperation projects in technology transfer and innovation and closer exchanges ofcyber culture.

After

At last year's forum, a representative from Laos said that Laos is the only landlocked country inSouth East Asia with no sea port, so it is in desperate need of Internet connectivity andinformation sharing. The construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbor is exactly an "onlineport" serving connectivity among China and the ASEA countries by linking all ports and roads.China will continue to follow the concept proposed by President Xi featuring amity, sincerity,mutual benefit and inclusiveness, to cooperate closely with ASEAN countries and to make theChina-ASEAN Information Harbor the information hub of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.This also means China and ASEAN countries can share the fruits of Internet development.

First, sharing the fruits of the digital economy. In the current period, the digital economy hasbecome the most powerful engine to drive economic development. With the promotion of the"Internet Plus" concept, the growth rate of China's Internet industry is five times higher than thethat of GDP. Last year, the trading volume of electronic commerce amounted to 13 trillion yuan($2 trillion). The Internet shows more and more effect on upgrading industries and supporting thegrowth of innovative business. China and ASEAN countries are all developing countries with awide range of needs and great potential in digital economic development. With the China-ASEAN Information Harbor, we hope to develop cross-border electronic commerce, better builda China-ASEAN Information Harbor, create a regional international financial information center,push forward the development of digital economic cooperation, invigorate economic growth aswell as industrial restructuration and market expansion, and provide strong support for theupgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone.

Second, sharing qualified information service. The essential attribute of the Internet is to spreadinformation and share information. The national strength of a country is reflected in how muchinformation it holds, while the level of people's livelihood is affected by the information serviceprovision ability of a country. At present, 700 million people in China don't have access to theInternet, while 400 million people in ASEAN countries are not Internet users, either. They have agreater need to get more information, gain knowledge and get rid of poverty via the Internet. Wewill push forward the establishment of the China-ASEAN Information Harbor fund, increaseinvestment in information infrastructure relying on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank andthe Silk Road Fund. We will establish a portal for China-ASEAN Information Harbor, promote thepenetration of the Internet, and break the information barrier and bridge the "digital gap". We'llshare with ASEAN countries the information service on economy and finance, education andscientific research, health care and disaster early warning, and let the construction of InformationHarbor benefit people in both China and ASEAN countries.

Third, sharing resources in technological innovation. The key to building modern and smartinformation hubs lies in technology and innovation. We're glad to see more and moreenterprises, research institutions, higher education and industrial organizations join the China-ASEAN technology cooperation network to improve the level of technological assembling andenhance the incubation of innovations. Based on the China-ASEAN Information Harbor, we arewilling to accelerate technological transfer and cooperation in innovation, plan and conducttechnology R&D, transformation and application, participate actively in the standardization ofinternationally important technologies, and build cooperation pilot projects in cloud computing,the Internet of Things, smart city and smart grid through establishing coalitions of cooperationamong information technology industries. We will take the commanding height in relatedtechnologies and seize the initiative of development so as to drive cooperation and a win-winsolution via means of technological innovations.

Fourth, sharing good high-quality Internet culture. Chinese President Xi said the development ofrelations among different nations relies on the connection of the heart and will of the people in thefinal analysis. TV drama series from Thailand, which are popular on the Chinese Internet, letChinese people feel the joys and sorrows of people from ASEAN countries. And the socializingapp launched by Chinese Internet giant Tencent in Vietnam has also become popular amongVietnamese users. Partnering with ASEAN countries, we'd like to pool our great digitalproductions, including gaming, anime, TV, movie, literature and knowledge resources, to buildonline platforms of communication and copy right and explore new channels of culturalexchanges between China and ASEAN countries. This will help realize the goal of making theInternet a new bond of public sentiment convergence and friendship between people from the twosides.

Fifth, sharing the experience on network administration. Countries have different nationalconditions and the development of their Internet industry is at different stages, so they also differin cyberspace administration models and approaches. However, confronting commonchallenges from cyberspace, China and ASEAN have increasingly become a community ofcommon destiny sharing the weal and woes and we must jointly address the challenges.Together with the ASEAN countries, we're willing to improve our cooperation mechanism,conduct dialogue and communication, learn from each other, share the experiences andsuccesses in cyberspace administration, respect each country's Internet sovereignty andsafeguard cyberspace security. We must also resolutely crack down on online terrorism andcrimes, and protect personal privacy and information security to promote the establishment of amultilateral, democratic and transparent international Internet governance system and jointlycreate a peaceful, safe, open and cooperative cyberspace.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Go with the tide of "Internet Plus". China-ASEAN Information Harbor is riding the waves of theOne Belt and One Road initiative with a number of projects underway. As long as we makeconcerted efforts, address the challenges with courage and confidence, deepen consensuscontinuously, and seize the opportunity, we will embrace a bright future for China-ASEANcooperation and development.

Thank you.