The “Beijing Spotlight” session of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference2026 took place at the Seagull Hall of the BFA Press Center on March 25. Zhao Houlin, honorary president of the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance (DEC40) and former secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), was invited to attend the event, at which he introduced the alliance’s core initiatives.

Co-founded by 29 countries, the BFA convenes its annual conference in Boao, Hainan. Centeredon the theme “Shaping a Shared Future: New Dynamics, New Opportunities, New Cooperation,” its 2026 annual conference drew around 2,000 delegates from over 60 countries and regions. Attendees included members of the BFA board of directors, senior advisors,current and former ministerial-level officials, and heads of international and regional organizations, as well as business leaders, and prominent scholars.

In his speech, Zhao introduced the DEC40 as a high-level international cooperation platform integrating government, industry, and academic resources. Co-initiated by Beijing and nearly 40 global cities, the alliance is registered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has garnered robust support from UN agencies and international bodies such as ITU, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Guided by the vision “Empowering Cities with Digitalization and Creating a Shared Future through Cooperation,” Beijing—its founding city—has emerged as a global benchmark for digital technology application and governance innovation, driven by the country’s strategies to enhance its cyber strength and build a Digital China. 

Zhao also elaborated on the alliance’s key efforts to bridge the global digital divide, including collaborating with ITU and ITC to launch the Global Digital Economy Lighthouse Case Selection project, showcasing best practices in digital transformation, joining hands with UNITAR to advance the second phase of the Digital Economy Governance and Leadership Talent Capacity Building Programme, partnering with ITU to co-host the “AIGC For Future” Global Challenge. These multilateral initiatives aim to drive the standardization and systematization of global digital economy governance.

In his address, Zhaoalso extended a warm invitation to more cities, institutions, and enterprises to join the alliance’s network. He called for deeper collaboration under global multilateral frameworks to build a more inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital world.