The fifth Digital China Summit kicks off in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, on July 23. [Photo/VCG]

On July 23, the fifth Digital China Summit with the theme of "Innovation Drives New Changes and Digitization Brings About New Patterns" opened in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. The development of Digital Fujian originated from the planning and deployment Xi Jinping made when he was governor of Fujian Province in 2000. The project is still deepening and advancing after years of exploration and practices and has accumulated a source of strength for the development of Digital China.

Digital Fujian anticipates Digital China in ideas

In 2000, when computers and the internet were not yet widely available and "digital earth" and "digital society" were still in their conception, Xi Jinping, then governor of Fujian Province, foresaw with a sharp vision the trend of information technology. To create more advantages for the development of Fujian, he made the strategic decision to build "Digital Fujian," which became the origin of the idea and practice of "Digital China."

At that time, Wang Qinmin, a member of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences who had just returned to China from abroad and was then director of the Scientific Research Department of Fuzhou University, submitted a "Digital Fujian" project proposal to the province, which attracted Xi's attention. After reading the proposal, Xi Jinping gave an instruction: the development of "Digital Fujian" is of great significance; to implement the strategy of developing the province through science and education, it is necessary to race against time to take the commanding height of science and technology; the development of "Digital Fujian" is one of such high grounds in the global scientific scene today.