Voices From The Internet

At the opening of the First Session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing on March 5, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivered the Report on the Work of the Government, saying that in the past fi ve years China has done more to carry out the Internet Plus Initiative, including exercising ac- commodative and prudential regulation, and promoting the extensive application of big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. The government work report also said that the Internet Plus model has permeated every industry and every fi eld. Business startups and innovation are thriving all over the country. Rapidly emerging new growth drivers are re- shaping China’s growth model and profoundly changing the way people live and work.

The number of NPC deputies and mem- bers of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from Internet-related industries at this year’s Two Sessions saw a signifi cant rise. Combining their perspectives on the development of their own profes- sions, they fi led motions or made proposals on various topics including agriculture, edu- cation, fi nance, medicine and health, elderly care and artifi cial intelligence (AI), providing their own contributions to the promotion of innovation-driven development.

Pony Ma, founder and CEO of Internet giant Tencent, was elected for the second time as an NPC deputy. This year he submit- ted five written suggestions. He said at a press conference in Beijing on March 3 that compared to when he last held the post fi ve years ago, he is more confi dent in perform- ing his duty as a deputy, and his horizons have expanded beyond traditional Internet industries to culture, finance and people’s livelihood.

Like Ma, Lei Jun, CEO of leading technol- ogy company Xiaomi, was also elected as an NPC deputy this year for a second time. Managing a successful private enterprise himself, Lei proposed that such enterprises should be more involved in the Belt and Road Initiative by providing quality products and services to customers in countries along the route. He also suggested that the Ministry of Commerce establish a platform with the sup- port of embassies in countries along the belt and road in order to help private enterprises expand cooperation and business.

Richard Liu, founder of e-commerce gi- ant JD.com, is a member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee. He sets his sights on poverty alleviation, stating that e-commerce platforms should play an active role in help- ing farmers sell their produce, by aiding them to build successful brands and improve logistic infrastructure.