However, our future is not set in stone. As the Chinese saying reminds us, 逆水行舟，不进则退 (like rowing against the current, if you stop moving forward, you will fall back). We still have the opportunity to chart a new, more sustainable direction forward. But this shift must happen now – at speed and at scale.

This is precisely where the digital economy—and more broadly, digital transformation—plays a critical role.

Digital technologies are reshaping how we live, work, and connect. If harnessed properly, they have the potential to be strategic accelerators of sustainable development.

However, without inclusive design and intentional governance, these advances also pose the risk of widening inequalities, and exacerbating existing challenges.

This is particularly true in cities — the focus of this year’s conference — as they are the engines of growth and innovation at the frontlines of sustainable development, where the opportunities and risks of digital transformation are most visible and immediate.

As UNDP’s recent 2025 Human Development Report made clear - looking at the impact of artificial intelligence: the key question is no longer what technology can, but what we choose to do with it. In a world rich in digital innovation, it is our values, policies, and imagination that will determine whether technology supports human progress—or jeopardizes it.

In recognition of this, the Global Digital Compact - adopted at last year’s UN Summit of the Future - is a comprehensive framework for global governance of frontier technologies including AI. This framework is a critical step towards bridging digital divides and ensuring a safe, inclusive, and sustainable digital future.

Moving forward, as technology continues to evolve, platforms like today’s conference will be increasingly vital to discuss and share insights on how to most effectively act upon and uphold the promises made under the Compact. Given its position as a global pioneer in emerging technologies and cutting-edge innovations, China’s knowledge, experience and commitment to efficient governance and regulation of digital tech will be critical to inform these discussions.

At UNDP, we are working across 170 countries and territories, to support governments in aligning digital transformation with inclusive, people-centred development.

Here in Beijing, we are excited to continue this work through a new partnership on the Digital Economy and Digital-Friendly Sustainable Development. This demonstration initiative, which will be officially signed tomorrow with Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, and Beijing Daxing District, will help to promote sustainable, inclusive, and globally connected digital-friendly cities in support of the SDGs.

In closing, let me extend my sincere thanks to the Beijing Municipal Government, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Data Administration, and Xinhua News Agency for hosting this conference, and to all partners involved.

Ultimately, a digital-friendly future is not just about technology—it is about people. It is about ensuring access, agency, and opportunity for all.

Together, we can make this vision a reality, and shape an inclusive digital transformation that leaves no one behind.

I wish you insightful discussions ahead.

衷心祝愿大会取得圆满成功，

谢谢大家。