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File photo of World Internet Conference. [Photo/VCG]

With its fingers on the cyberspace pulse, the World Internet Conference has been paying close attention to the latest development trends in the industry worldwide, experts said.

The WIC has gone digital and intelligent, providing an ideal platform for sharing and exchanges. Its annual themes mostly vary in focus, and aim to provide inspiration for, and encouragement to, the sector to post healthy growth.

In the inaugural year (2014), the theme was "An Interconnected World Shared and Governed by All — Building a Cyberspace Community of Shared Destiny", reflecting the intent to "help build a cyberspace community with a common shared destiny and an ethic of respecting differences".

In July, the eponymous WIC was formed as an international organization whose annual gathering will be the Wuzhen Summit, with a focus on sharing both development and risks in the global community, and making new opportunities through internet development accessible to more countries.

In 2015, the summit retained the inaugural theme, and reviewed the achievements of China's internet development over the past two decades, and provided a glimpse into the future by displaying a treasure trove of the latest technological inventions. It also announced the Wuzhen Initiative, whereby the international community and all interested parties will cooperate and seek mutual benefits, collaboratively promote the development, governance and prosperity of the internet, and strengthen the protection of minors in cyberspace.

In 2016, the theme was "Innovation-driven Internet Development for the Benefit of All — Building a Community of Common Future in Cyberspace". The event lined up 16 forums covering 20 hot issues, such as the internet economy, internet innovation, internet culture, governance in cyberspace and international cooperation on the internet. For the first time, cutting-edge scientific achievements in the internet sector were unveiled to the world, displaying global state-of-the-art internet techniques.

The 2017 WIC focused on "Developing Digital Economy for Openness and Shared Benefits — Building a Community of Common Future in Cyberspace". It provided a platform for building a community of common future in cyberspace, promoting worldwide respect for diversity, focusing on mutual development, forging consensus and boosting innovation.

In 2018, the focus was on "Creating a Digital World for Mutual Trust and Collective Governance — Toward a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace".

The 2019 edition highlighted "Intelligent Interconnection for Openness and Cooperation: Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace". It invited global champions and heavyweight figures in the industry to discuss and address concerns of the international community about the development of new technologies and new business forms such as 5G, artificial intelligence and the internet of things.

The 2020 WIC underscored "Digital Empowerment for a Better Future: Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace", and the event ran under the theme of "Toward a New Era of Digital Civilization — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace" in 2021.

This year's theme is "Toward a Shared Digital Future in a Connected World — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace".