World Internet Conference opens in Wuzhen

BEIJING: Three-day Fourth World Internet Conference kicked off Sunday in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Approximately 1,500 guests from around the world, including heads of international organizations, leading figures in the internet area, online celebrities, and academics are attending this year's summit.

The event focuses on the digital economy, openness and sharing, to jointly build an online community of shared future, he said.

The summit also includes details of new scientific and technological achievements and exhibitions.

China has invited several international organizations as co-organizers of the event, including the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

US tech giants

Addressing a session, Apple Inc’s chief executive Tim Cook said developers using its platform in China number 1.8 million and have earned a total 112 billion yuan ($16.93 billion), representing roughly a quarter of total global App Store earnings.

Apple counts China as its third-largest region by sales but it has lost market share in recent years as high-end handsets from local rivals continue to gain traction. The firm is hoping to regain momentum following the release of its iPhone 8 and iPhone X models which shipped in November.

Cook’s attendance is conspicuous at the conference, marking the first high-level executive to attend in the event’s four-year history.

Others included Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, who is also attending the conference for the first time.