On October 29, 2024, the first GDTC Global Data Technology Conference, hosted by the National Engineering Center for the Next Generation Internet, grandly opened in Beijing. Themed "Building an Interconnected Data Infrastructure," the conference featured "1 plenary session + 4 thematic forums + 1 members' day event + N workshops." Nearly a hundred authoritative experts and industry leaders from over 50 professional organizations in China, the European Union, the United States, and other countries engaged in in-depth exchanges and sharing on cutting-edge data technologies and data infrastructure, such as data space, high-speed data networks, privacy computing, privacy protection, and blockchain. They collectively promoted the innovative application of data technology, strengthened international cooperation and industrial collaboration, and provided solid support for the development of the data element industry.

Chen Ronghui, member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the National Data Administration, pointed out in his opening remarks that data has become a fundamental strategic resource. The National Data Administration will enhance the innovative application of data technology, promote the development and utilization of data resources, advance the interconnectivity of data infrastructure, deepen international cooperation in the field of data, and accelerate the cultivation of a unified national data market. Experts and business representatives from home and abroad also made forward-looking presentations and discussions on data technology and practical applications. Peng Xuehai, member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Government Service and Data Administration; Tang Jianguo, member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology; Zhao Houlin, former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union and Honorary Chairman of the China Institute of Communications; Yang Jianjun, Secretary of the China Electronics Technology Standardization Institute; Liu Zhiyong, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Global Cloud and Broadband Alliance (WBBA); Reinhold Achatz, Chairman of the International Data Space Association (IDSA), attended the conference and delivered opening remarks. Liu Dong, Director of the National Engineering Center for the Next Generation Internet and Chairman of the conference, presided over the opening ceremony.

Figure: the Scene of 2024 GDTC

Accelerating the Development of Data Technology and Standards to Strengthen Data Infrastructure Construction

Data technology and standards are the cornerstone for achieving interconnectivity of data infrastructure. Experts from home and abroad focused on high-speed data networks, data space, privacy computing, blockchain, and other data infrastructure technologies for forward-looking sharing and discussions. Academician Wu Hequan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering stated at the conference that data infrastructure is an important part of digital infrastructure. In data flow management, Academician Wu Hequan mentioned that IPv6-based technologies such as APN6, iFIT, SRv6, etc., can support cross-border data flow management and path traceability. By strengthening edge intelligence to simplify intermediate nodes and protocols, the interconnection of computing, networking, and cloud can be realized on the data plane. At the same time, based on data space for controlled data sharing, the data space as a decentralized data collaboration platform allows data holders to specify usage policies, and the data space approach can maintain control over data leaving the country.

Liu Dong, Director of the National Engineering Center for the Next Generation Internet, proposed the construction of an open data space network to promote the development of data infrastructure. Director Liu Dong said that the open data space network is a new network system to realize data authorization, processing, exchange, trading, and aggregation. Based on consensus management rules, standard architecture, and open-source ecology, it emphasizes the connection of entities and the free flow of data, while also focusing more on data management and efficient and secure use. It will become an important infrastructure for the development of the digital economy. Yang Jianjun, Secretary of the China Electronics Technology Standardization Institute, pointed out that technology and standards are important carriers of data infrastructure. Technical standardization supports multiple dimensions, including data aggregation, processing, circulation, use, and security. Meanwhile, the standardization of data products and services will comprehensively promote data application, connect the problems between market demand, production and consumption, and realization of benefits, and promote the construction of a one-stop, open, shared, and globally-oriented data market.

Yu Xiaohui, President of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, introduced the newly released "Trusted Data Space Development Action Plan (2024—2028)" in his keynote speech and pointed out that the data space is the convergence point of technology, system, and market, which strongly supports data valueization. Interconnectivity is the basis for the development of the trusted data space. Next, it is necessary to expand the interconnectivity through unified standards, open-source technology, and public services.

Boris Otto, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering, said that the value of data can be multiplied when data is reused and circulated. To balance the interests of individual data providers and the collective interests of using data (especially private or industrial data), data space and other technologies have emerged. With the innovative development of general artificial intelligence and general large language models, it is necessary to ensure that even if data is shared, its use complies with the policies attached to the data.

Professor Zhang Xianghong from Beijing Jiaotong University introduced the overall architecture and implementation strategy of the national data infrastructure in his speech. He said that the national data infrastructure is a new type of infrastructure that provides integrated data aggregation, processing, circulation, application, operation, and security assurance services to society from the perspective of releasing the value of data elements. It is supported by facilities such as networks and computing power and is an organic whole covering hardware, software, standard specifications, and mechanism design. Over the two-day conference, more than a hundred guests from around the world will exchange and share on several key dimensions, including the research and development (R&D) of data technology, standard-setting, and application promotion. In terms of R&D, the latest technical breakthroughs and research ideas will be shared, and discussions on how to further promote data technology innovation will be held. In terms of standard-setting, exchanges of practical experience from different countries and regions will take place, and joint exploration on how to build an interconnected data technology standard system to promote the standardized application of data technology worldwide will be conducted. In terms of application promotion, discussions will be held on how to better integrate data technology into practical business operations in light of the characteristics and needs of different industries, to achieve deep integration of data technology with various industries, and to provide a diverse perspective and continuous innovative vitality for the development of data infrastructure.

Carrying out practical empowerment of data technology and data infrastructure to accelerate digital transformation

Technology and application go hand in hand to accelerate the infrastructure of data technology. Representatives from enterprises at the conference shared and discussed the practical application of existing data technology. Zhang Xin, Deputy Director (in charge) of the Data Development Center of China Telecom Group, introduced the exploration and practice of China Telecom in data infrastructure and cross-border data flow. It has formed six capabilities: cloud-network infrastructure system, data aggregation and governance, data security transmission, data certification and supervision, data compliance services, and data transaction and circulation. Song Yulun, Senior Vice President of China Unicom Digital Science and Technology and General Manager of the Data Intelligence Department, shared the trustworthy data resource space and the data network of China Unicom. Under the premise of ensuring data sovereignty and data security, it has built an integrated data development, interconnection, and utilization service platform for all parties with data rights, creating a "data processing factory" and a "data integration market" and establishing a business architecture system of "two basic seats, two modes, and two circulations" to empower the construction of data infrastructure. Yong Qinglamu, Assistant General Manager of the Data Center of China Mobile Communication Group, shared the construction and application of data infrastructure based on the data network of China Mobile. It introduced the architecture plan of the data network and built "one platform, one network, and one terminal" on the computing power network, and introduced technologies such as privacy computing, blockchain, and data space to ensure that data can be supplied, circulated, and used well.

During the industry roundtable dialogue at the plenary session, Li Xiaodong, Director of the Tsinghua University Internet Governance Research Center and Founder of Fuxi Think Tank, as the roundtable host, together with Hu Shanyong, Scientist of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; Li Junping, Vice President of Alibaba Cloud Intelligent Group; Chen Gang, Chief Architect of FiberHome; Li Chun Guang, Deputy Dean of the Government Digital Transformation Research Institute of Inspur Cloud; Han Guoquan, Vice President of TaiJi Computer Co., Ltd. and Executive Deputy Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Big Data Application Technology in Improving Government Governance; Tao Lifeng, Vice President of Ant Lovin, and other corporate representatives, engaged in an in-depth discussion on their understanding of data infrastructure, opportunities, and challenges. The experts all expressed in the discussion that "interconnection" and "fairness and inclusiveness" are the most important significance of data infrastructure. The challenges should be overcome through standardization and technological consensus. Regarding the future development opportunities and practical paths of data infrastructure, the guests also believed, from their respective businesses, that it is necessary to promote the underlying technological capabilities of the entire data infrastructure, including using data space and privacy computing technologies to play a greater role in practical scenarios such as commercialization, large model training, and public data utilization.

The hosting of the Global Data Technology Conference (GDTC) has received strong support from organizations such as the International Data Space Association (IDSA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Global IPv6 Forum, the Global Cloud and Broadband Alliance (WBBA), the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), the China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI), the China Cybersecurity Review Certification and Market Supervision Big Data Center (CCRC), the China Communications Standards Association (CCSA), the China Institute of Communications (CIC), the Joint International Innovation Center for Data Technology and Intelligent Governance (GDTC-Lab), the Beijing International Big Data Exchange, the Shanghai Data Exchange, and the Guangzhou Data Exchange. As Zhang Xudong, Deputy Director of the Next Generation Internet National Engineering Center and the host of the keynote speeches at the conference, said, the conference has built a global platform for exchange, rallying global wisdom and strength to promote the innovation of data technology and the development and utilization of data resources. It will surely build a more efficient, secure, trustworthy, and open data infrastructure and data ecosystem in the future to contribute to the vigorous development of the digital economy. The successful hosting of the conference will be an important milestone in promoting data technology innovation, developing and utilizing data resources, and accelerating the cultivation of a unified national data market. It will inject strong momentum into the vigorous development of the global data industry.