Urumqi (TDI): The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Digital Economy Forum was held in Urumqi, China, from September 14 to 16 under the theme “Promoting SCO Data Connectivity, Shaping the Future with AI,” bringing together around 500 participants from member states.
The forum was organized by China’s National Data Administration and the People’s Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with participation from government institutions, relevant agencies, businesses, experts and civil society representatives from SCO countries.
Chen Xiaojiang, Secretary of the Communist Party of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee, delivered welcoming remarks at the forum.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, SCO Deputy Secretary-General Sohail Khan said the organization’s digital agenda was increasingly linked with trade, investment, entrepreneurship and innovation.
He highlighted the launch of the China-SCO Digital Economy Cooperation Platform in Tianjin as a practical outcome of efforts to expand cooperation in the digital economy.
Khan also participated in a thematic session focused on digital connectivity, where he noted that the growing interconnectedness of SCO member states was no longer based solely on physical infrastructure and transportation networks, but also on digital systems.
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He stressed the importance of strengthening digital connectivity among SCO countries as technology increasingly becomes central to economic cooperation and cross-border business.
The SCO deputy secretary-general referred to the 2026 Bishkek Declaration, adopted to mark the organization’s 25th anniversary, which reaffirmed member states’ intention to develop cross-border e-commerce infrastructure. He said such cooperation could help reduce costs and strengthen trust among entrepreneurs across the SCO region.
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The forum provided a platform for participants to exchange views on data connectivity, artificial intelligence and digital economic cooperation, reflecting the organization’s broader efforts to expand practical collaboration in emerging technologies and the digital economy.
