The World IoT Top 500 Summit 2024, as an important annual midsummer event of WIOTC, was held in Beijing on July 19. Themed “An Intelligently Interconnected World for A Win-win Future”, the summit encompassed an opening ceremony, the Top 500 Entrepreneur Forum, the International Cooperation Forum, and the World Internet of Things Convention 2024 Press Release, to name a few. At the opening ceremony, opening remarks were given by distinguished guests, including Mr. Zhang Qin, member of the Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC; H.E. Siyabonga C. Cwele, Ambassador of South Africa to China; H.E. Mr. Khalil Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to China; H.E. John Busuttil, Ambassador of Malta to China; and Mr. Ni Jianzhong, Executive President of the China Mobile Communications Association. Mr. He Xuming, Chairman of the WIOTC Executive Committee, presented a keynote report. The summit also invited Academician Mr. Zhang Ping from the Chinese Academy of Engineering to deliver an academic report and the CTO of Sanyiniao, Haier Smart Home, to give a thematic speech on behalf of the top 500 IoT enterprises. H.E. Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, the ambassador of Nepal to China, spoke at the Country Promotion Session. Mr. Zhang Hua, Vice Chairman of the WIOTC Executive Committee, held the World Internet of Things Convention 2024 Press Release. Government officials, ambassadors, diplomats, representatives of international organisations, and business associations from 40 countries and regions, including China, France, South Africa, Pakistan, Malta, Nepal, Maldives, Iran, and Turkey, attended the meeting. According to the statistics from all sources, nearly six million representatives from the top 500 IoT enterprises, experts, and scholars participated in the summit online and offline. The summit also unveiled the 2024 World Internet of Things Ranking List Top 500, and the event was the prelude to the World Internet of Things Convention 2024 (Annual Conference).

In his speech, Mr. Zhang Qin emphasized that the world is undergoing unprecedented changes unseen in a century, with geopolitics severely impacting the development of economic globalization. “The innovative development of the IoT digital economy brings a glimmer of hope to global economic and social progress. This summit provides a platform for international exchange and cooperation, bringing together enterprises, experts, scholars, and government agencies to explore the forefront and future of global economic and social development. China and many other countries around the world are transitioning from the Internet era to the era of the IoT digital economy”, he said.

Mr. He Xuming, in his keynote report, pointed out that IoT intelligent technology and other cutting-edge technologies have accelerated the progress of intelligent connectivity of all things while speeding up the industrial transformation. “In 2024, the number of global IoT connections is expected to surpass 25 billion, up by over 20% in terms of annual growth rate. The aggregate of the global digital economy is about to exceed $40 trillion, growing by nearly 20%. China is estimated to have over 3 billion IoT connections, with an increase of over 30%. Besides, communication technologies and networks supporting the IoT digital economy are also rapidly advancing from 5G to 6G, Starlink, and quantum communication, moving towards intelligent connectivity of all things. The new quality productive forces, featuring new networks, new economic models, and new ecological markets, are quietly emerging in China. Preliminary statistics show that the number of China boasts over 800,000 enterprises with advanced IoT digital economy capabilities and the largest digital economy in the world, establishing itself as a leader in innovation. More than 150 Chinese enterprises are on the World IoT Ranking List Top 500, which demonstrates the strength of China's innovation prowess”, he mentioned.

According to him, while the current wave of Artificial Intelligence is sweeping across the world, which has gradually driven intelligent technological upgrades, AI should be viewed as an important technology rather than the main focus of world economic and social development. He stressed “The advanced digital economy supported by the ultra-broadband IoT and established through 5G, 6G, Starlink, and quantum communication networks, is the direction for human economic and social progress. Building the ultra-broadband IoT and the digital economy it supports should be an essential part of national strategic development. To accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the IoT digital economy, countries worldwide should jointly build an intelligently interconnected digital economy market, bridging the global divides with innovation and cooperation and achieving success together”.

In his opening speech, the Maltese Ambassador to China John Busuttil said, “Along with AI and big data, the IoT has moved to the centre of the digitisation of the world economy. However, as dependence on connected devices and networks continues to grow, so do risks and governance challenges in areas such as security, privacy, sustainability, interoperability and equity. IoT as a technology seems poised for continued growth in Malta. This growth is expected to be driven by specific sectors such as transportation and logistics, telecommunications, and gaming. However, other sectors such as retail, security, finance, and manufacturing are also responding positively to this increased growth. In recent years, data, AI network security and IoT played a growingly important role in these sectors”.

When giving opening remarks, the Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi observed, “I would like to appreciate the unremitting efforts of WIOTC in promoting IoT development and digital economy as well as bridging the digital divide and delivering on Sustainable Development Goal 9 which envisions generating employment and income through innovation. As a developing country with a youthful population, Pakistan is witnessing a bourgeoning trend towards the adoption of IoT. In addition, IoT is also being patronized through various policy initiatives such as Digital Pakistan Policy; National Cyber-security Policy; and ongoing work related to the policy on Artificial Intelligence. He highlighted that Pakistan has incorporated IoT and AI into its national policies as a key part of its data and communication security. He also acknowledged the importance of digital economy for social and economic development and the numerous opportunities it has brought about.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the South African Ambassador to China Siyabonga C. Cwele mentioned, “The Theme of ‘An Intelligently Interconnected World for A Win-Win Future’, is timely as this event is happening a day after we celebrated the Nelson Mandela international Day 2024 where the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reminded us that it is in our hands to combat poverty and inequality, and transform the international economic and financial system in the name of equity. It is in our hands to bridge the digital divide in our communities. All major mobile operators are continuing to roll out 5G networks across the country. This is expected to drive broadband penetration and the adoption of advanced technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and the IoT”. “We can work together to empower our youth, workers and society with the new skills to effectively participate in the new digital era. Come and invest in South Africa”, he urged.

In his speech at the Country Promotion Session, the ambassador said, “We call upon Chinese and global investors to join the South African investment and digital skill drive to jointly build an information society with a shared future for mankind. We appreciate your investment and development of affordable modern ICT services and equipment. Despite the need for general digitization of the South African industries and government services, some of the investment opportunities presented by all these reforms include: first, Infrastructure solutions and services such as fibre optic, networks, wireless networks, and data centres; second, IoT applications such as telematics, smart devices and inter-device communications technology; third, Big data tools and analytics; fourth, Connected living applications; fifth, E-commerce platforms, payment solutions, and logistics companies; sixth, Development of security products, software, IT outsourcing, and Business Processes Outsourcing; just to mention the few”.

Speaking at the Country Promotion Session as well, the Ambassador of Nepal to China Bishnu Pukar Shrestha pointed out that the interconnected and interdependent nature of today's world. Digital development and technological innovation have turned the world into a global village. Digital economy, IoT, and AI, have also become the key areas of focus in Nepal’s development agenda. This is reflected in policies such as the National Information and Communication Technology Policy 2015, the 2019 Digital Nepal Framework, and the National Strategy on Development and Use of E-Commerce 2020. In September 2023, Nepal and China signed an agreement to expand cooperation in the digital economy, digital infrastructure, and AI. He emphasized the long-standing Nepal-China friendship and China's support in infrastructure, investment, trade, agriculture, health, education, and ICT. Nepal welcomes investments in transportation infrastructure, railways, energy infrastructure, and electric vehicles.

The summit coincided with the conclusion of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Committee. Ambassadors like H.E Siyabonga C. Cwele and H.E. Khalil Hashmi expressed confidence in China's economic prospects and innovation capabilities to overcome challenges. The summit highlighted the nation's determination to expand openness and innovate for common development.

Mr. Ni Jianzhong, Executive President of the China Mobile Communications Association, acknowledged that the long way of exploration, experimentation and innovation the country has been through from Perception (IOT) China to Digital China. “This transformation not only reflects on the IoT development journey but also envisions a future intelligent world. Currently, as China enters the era of digitization, IoT technology is advancing towards intelligence and digitization. The integration of big data, AI, and cloud computing has endowed IoT with intelligent decision-making and autonomous control capabilities”, he said.

In his report on "The Communication Theory and Practice of 6G Ubiquitous Intelligence", Academician Zhang Ping from the Chinese Academy of Engineering mentioned that China’s achievement in establishing the world's largest 5G network. He said, “His team, leveraging multiple key technologies in communication and intelligence integration, has built the world's first 6G field trial network, verifying the feasibility of 4G and 5G links in supporting 6G transmission. AI will enhance the sensing and understanding capabilities of communication networks, while ubiquitous 6G communication will extend AI's reach to all fields, accelerating the formation of new digital economy formats”.

Mr. Yin Deshuai, CTO of Sanyiniao, Haier Smart Home, delivered a keynote speech on behalf of the WIOTRL Top 500 IoT enterprises, noting that we have ushered in the era of smart homes driven by large language models. As a response, Sanyiniao has renewed its strategies to enhance smart living through an integrated platform of home appliances. Sanyiniao offers high-quality, diverse smart home scenarios for users to choose from. The digital capabilities of its stores conduce to the full integration and visualization of the whole process from interaction and design to delivery. The large model HomeGPT can understand users’ needs, enable the self-iteration of smart scenarios and provide a safe and comfortable smart lifestyle.

At the WIOTRL Top 500 Entrepreneur Forum, several distinguished guests joined a discussion to share their new perspectives on the digital economy of the IoT and the relationship between IoT and the digital economy. The speakers included Mr. Zhang Qin, member of the 13th Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and former Vice Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST); Mr. Guo Haozhe, Senior Vice President of Donghua Software and Chairman of Donghua Smart City; Mr. Xiao Qing, Chief Expert at China Mobile Group and General Manager of Xinsheng Technology; Mr. Liu Shengli, Data and AI Technical Sales Leader at IBM Greater China; and Mr. Su Tao, Vice Chairman of the WIOTC Executive Committee.

During the forum, the speakers believed that IoT is a good carrier, through which the digital economy can empower the real economy, while underscoring the importance of continuous innovation in technology, products, services, and business models to ultimately benefit users and consumers. In addition, they thought that operations should be demand-oriented, whether for individuals, enterprises, or governments, to ensure that digital technology empowers various industries. The participants concluded with a shared belief that technology can create a better life and future for humanity.

At the International Cooperation Forum, the speakers such as Mr. Xing Lei, Secretary General of the World Green Design Organization (WGDO), Mr. Xing Jiguo, Chairman of the Arab States-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Innovation Center, Mr. Shen Jie, Project Editor of the ISO/IEC 30141, Mr. Charlie Zhao, Deputy General Manager and Chief Global Officer of Lenovo Connect, Mr. Chris Xia, Partner of PwC Strategy& Greater China Region and Mr. Liu Dacheng, Executive Vice President of the China Industrial Development Research Institute engaged in discussions on the development direction of the IoT digital economy, considerations for the internationalization of the intelligently connected digital economy, and ways to promote international cooperation.

During the forum, they stressed that the ultimate development of IoT technology should contribute to the continuous advancement of humanity and the orderly development of the planet. The IoT can fully empower environmental, social, and corporate governance, and its development requires enhanced international cooperation. The speakers were also of the opinion that Chinese enterprises expanding internationally must be confident, as they possess comprehensive competitiveness in terms of product capability, service capability, and supply chain. At the same time, they emphasized the facts of respecting local practices and striving for win-win cooperation with local institutions and corporates to seize greater opportunities.

Introducing the upcoming 2024 (9th) World Internet of Things Convention, Mr. Zhang Hua, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the WIOTC, said the annual grand event will be held from November 3 to 5 in Beijing, China. The event will witness the release of the world's first White Paper on the Intelligently Interconnected Digital Economy, aimed at providing strategic decision-making references for the innovative development of the IoT digital economy in various countries. We plan to invite UN Secretary-General António Guterres, heads of state and political leaders from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as nearly a hundred ambassadors, counsellors, diplomats, heads of international organizations based in China and global enterprises working on IoT digital economy to attend the annual event online and offline.

Under the theme of "Opening up a New Era of Intelligently Interconnected Digital Economy," the convention will feature over ten forums and summits, setting a global example for the intelligently interconnected digital economy. It will showcase and release IoT digital economy cases, encouraging governments and enterprises worldwide to jointly promote the construction of the global market for such digital economy, support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and embrace new era of the intelligently interconnected digital economy.

Mr. Chen Zixuan, Executive Chairman of the WIOTC Transportation & Auto Intelligence Commission, shared insights and opinions on hosting the China Automobile Going Global Forum. The inaugural forum will invite leaders and experts from government agencies, industrial associations, and automobile associations from various countries, as well as representatives from major Chinese auto enterprises, to participate in this grand event.

At this summit, the Organization Committee of WIOTC reached a strategic partnership with Phoenix Technology Channel and China Venture Capital Magazine. Additionally, it established cooperative intentions with the National Engineering Research Center for Electric Vehicles at Beijing Institute of Technology and the International Institute of Green Finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics.

Amidst enthusiastic applause, the 2024 World Internet of Things Top 500 List was unveiled, and certificates were awarded to the listed corporates, including Haier, IBM, China Telecom, China Mobile, GREE, E-SURFING IoT, DHC, Haier Smart Home, 360 Digital Security, iFLYTEK, JD Logistics, celefish, PATEO, Flymodem, CMM(humi), Lenovo Connect, and StarThing.

This summit made clear the relationship between the IoT and the digital economy to governments and enterprises worldwide, with speakers proposing innovative ideas of market construction and industrial system development. It also provided examples of the intelligently interconnected digital economy, contributing positively to the innovative development of the digital economy in China and the rest of the world.