As the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation deepens, the digital economy has become a new engine for global economic growth. The Ministry of Commerce, the central net letter department, the ministry recently issued by the foreign investment cooperation work guidelines "the digital economy, put forward to promote digital economy foreign investment cooperation, actively involved in global digital economy industrial chain, accelerate the digital infrastructure construction, promote the traditional industry digital transformation and construction of the digitized overseas economic and trade cooperation zone 11 key work. Experts believe that digital economy enterprises "go to sea" ushered in a good opportunity, broad prospects.


We will deepen our participation in international cooperation

11.jpg

Industry insiders point out that digital economy takes digital knowledge and information as key production factors, modern information network as an important carrier, and information and communication technology as an important driving force to improve efficiency, promoting quality change, efficiency change and power change of economic development. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital economy has become a key economic form to maintain economic vitality and ensure the smooth flow of industrial and supply chains. Countries all see digital economy as a major strategic opportunity. According to statistics, digital economy accounts for more than 50% of GDP in developed countries.


In recent years, China has actively promoted digital industrialization and digitalization of industries, promoted the deep integration of digital technology with economic and social development, and witnessed rapid development of digital economy. Statistics show that China's digital economy reached nearly 5.4 trillion US dollars in 2020, up 9.6% year on year, ranking among the world's largest in size and growth.


The deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative has created favorable conditions for the digital economy to "go global". In the first seven months of this year, China's non-financial direct investment in countries along the Belt and Road reached us $11.29 billion, up 9.9 percent year on year, bucking the trend. At present, more and more Chinese enterprises are "going global", using the new model of digital economy to boost local economic growth, foster new growth points in new markets and industries, create jobs and improve people's lives.


"There is a lot of room for China to cooperate with other countries." Liu Dian, associate researcher at The Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, predicted that in the future, digital economy enterprises will become an important trend to "go overseas".


Actively integrate into the global industrial chain


The spread of COVID-19 has disrupted the circulation of global industrial and supply chains. "As the epidemic is gradually brought under control and economic and social activities resume, a new round of international infrastructure investment is expected to become a new engine for world economic recovery and growth." Fang Qiuchen, president of the China International Contractors Association, said that traditional international infrastructure projects should be constantly empowered by science and technology, especially cooperation in 5G, artificial intelligence, big data and smart cities.


The digital economy of foreign investment cooperation guidelines "(hereinafter referred to as the" guidance ") referred to accelerate the digital infrastructure, encourage enterprises to seize the overseas digital infrastructure, market opportunities, provide digital services on a global scale, and actively participate in the host city, traffic, energy, electric power, water conservancy and other infrastructure, traditional digital, networked, intelligent upgrade.


Overseas economic and trade cooperation zones are an important platform for Chinese enterprises to "go global" and a key carrier for international industrial cooperation. By the end of 2020, Chinese enterprises had invested nearly us $40 billion in overseas economic and trade cooperation zones in countries along the Belt and Road. The Guidelines also put forward requirements for promoting the digitalization of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones.


"Digital development of overseas economic and trade cooperation zone is one of the directions of high-quality development of the zone, and the construction of digital cooperation zone is a high standard, high target and high requirement for the future development of the zone." Qi Xin, director of the "Belt and Road" Economic and trade Cooperation Research Institute under the Ministry of Commerce, said that the platform for foreign investment cooperation will help enterprises participate in the reshaping of the global industrial chain, consolidate and create China's development advantages in the field of digital economy, and promote the realization of a higher level of domestic and international double circulation.

22.jpg

Risk prevention


Since "go out", it is inevitable to face many risks and challenges. Experts said that cyber security and data security in the field of digital economy are highly concerned by governments and society, and Chinese digital economy enterprises "going global" will face an increasingly strict international regulatory environment.


In view of the previous resistance to "going overseas" of Chinese digital economy enterprises, the Guidelines made special arrangements on the guidance, supervision and risk prevention of digital economy "going abroad", with emphasis on data security and anti-monopoly issues.


In terms of data security, enterprises should not only comply with the laws and regulations of the host country and international general rules, but also improve their internal compliance system and strictly implement the provisions of Chinese laws and regulations on data exit security management. Specifically, that is, the network security law, data security law on important data exit provisions. It is worth noting that the personal Information Protection Law, which will take effect on Nov 1, also stipulates the cross-border provision of personal information. In addition, it is necessary to improve the data security management system, take necessary technical measures to protect data security and personal information, and support enterprises to protect their rights through legal means.


In terms of antitrust, the guidelines remind us to closely follow the latest policy trends on antitrust and digital tax in the global digital economy. "In the current international situation, countries tend to tighten the security of the digital economy, constantly fight against monopoly, legislation, law enforcement supervision is more stringent." Liu dian believes that China's digital economy enterprises should be careful to "go global" and do a good job of risk prevention.