Beijing has taken a bold step toward shaping the future of global digital collaboration with the launch of the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance (GDE-CA) on Wednesday. The alliance, uniting over 40 cities across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America, aims to transform how urban centers address pressing technological challenges.
Announced during the opening of the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference, the initiative seeks to institutionalize multilateral cooperation beyond traditional bilateral agreements. Key focus areas include harmonizing digital infrastructure standards, establishing cross-border data governance frameworks, addressing AI ethics concerns, and scaling smart city innovations.
This development builds on Beijing's 2023 Global Digital Economy Partner City Cooperation Initiative, which saw six action plans implemented in 2024 through collaboration with partner cities. The alliance now enjoys support from major international organizations including the UN Institute for Training and Research, International Telecommunication Union, and International Trade Centre.
The week-long conference, co-organized by Beijing municipal authorities, China's Cyberspace Administration, National Data Administration, Xinhua News Agency, and UNDP, features six main forums and multiple thematic sessions. Over 1,000 participants from government, industry, and academia are expected to contribute to discussions shaping the digital economy's global trajectory.
