What is the significance of the World Data Organization establishing a presence in Beijing?

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Source: People’s Daily (Economic & Social Affairs)

On March 30, a new international organization—World Data Organization (WDO)—was established in Beijing.

This is the world’s first professional international organization dedicated to promoting data development and governance practices. It has already gathered more than 200 members, covering over 40 countries worldwide.

At this moment in time, what unique significance does it have to establish the World Data Organization?

This is the need to bridge the data divide.

According to data from the International Telecommunication Union, as of the end of 2024, nearly 2.6 billion people worldwide are still not connected to the internet, accounting for one-third of the global population.

The data divide is not only a technological gap—it has also become a development gap, constraining the modernization process of countries in the Global South. The establishment of the World Data Organization is an important measure to address this real dilemma.

China has built the world’s largest 5G network and accumulated rich experience in digital infrastructure construction and applications. The establishment of the World Data Organization will promote joint technological R&D, share成果, and enable cross-border interconnection of infrastructure, helping developing countries improve their data governance and application capabilities and injecting momentum into balanced global development.

This is the requirement to unlock the value of data.

As a new type of factor of production, data features high sensitivity, reusability, and high liquidity. However, unlocking its value also faces multiple challenges, including inconsistent standards, fragmented rules, and barriers to data mobility.

Establishing a cross-region, cross-domain, and cross-stakeholder data development and governance cooperation platform will help broadly connect forces from the industry, academia, and technology communities, and will drive the formulation of standards, docking, and mutual recognition—breaking through the “bottlenecks” in data flow—so that data truly becomes the core engine for driving innovation and improving efficiency.

This is the choice to foster the prosperity of the digital economy.

At present, global economic growth is under pressure and recovery is weak. Meanwhile, new-generation technologies such as artificial intelligence are accelerating breakthroughs. The digital economy has become an important engine for pulling growth, and data is the “core fuel” of the digital era.

Promoting high-quality interconnection and interoperability of data is both a key factor for the continued iteration and upgrading of artificial intelligence, and an important support for strengthening emerging industries and empowering the real economy. By building a new bridge for international industrial cooperation, the World Data Organization is conducive to promoting the efficient allocation of global data resources and opening up new space for growth in the digital economy.

Data is hailed as the “new oil” of the digital era. The establishment of the World Data Organization in Beijing reflects China’s increasingly strong industrial strength and international influence in its digital economy, and also demonstrates the broad recognition from the international community of China’s concepts and practices in digital governance. Starting from a new beginning, we look forward to all parties leveraging the World Data Organization as a link to further build consensus, deepen coordination, and jointly draw a new picture of the prosperity and development of the digital economy.

Editor for this issue: Feng Hua, Li Junqiang

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