The 2024 China Internet Civilisation Conference got underway in Chengdu, in the Sichuan Province of southwest China, on Wednesday. The focus is on fostering the current era and working together to advance online civility.
The two-day event drew attendees from central and local governments, major news portals, CEOs of online social organisations and internet enterprises, professors, and internet personalities.
Li Shulei, a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee’s Political Bureau and the chairman of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department, gave the conference’s keynote speech.
Delegates at the conference agreed that increasing online civility was critical for adjusting to the changing trends in quickly expanding information technology. It is also an important component of developing a strong socialist culture and a powerful cyber nation.
Additionally, they demanded that socialism be promoted further, that positive energy be increased in online, that a positive and healthy internet culture be consistently developed, and that cyberspace governance be strengthened.
Together with the province government of Sichuan, the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress and the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission jointly organised the conference.
In Essence
China’s approach to cyberspace governance, as discussed at the conference, is heavily centered on controlling the flow of information and ensuring that online content aligns with the values and objectives of the state.
The call for promoting positive energy online and strengthening cyberspace governance is in line with the CPC’s broader agenda of maintaining social harmony and minimizing dissent or disruptive behavior in the digital sphere.
Moreover, the conference’s focus on developing a powerful cyber nation” ties into China’s ambitions to be a global leader in technology and digital governance.
By shaping the internet in accordance with its own values and norms, China is positioning itself to not only control its domestic narrative but also to potentially influence global standards of internet governance.
