The 2019 China International Big Data Industry Expo (hereinafter referred to as the Big Data Expo) was held in Guiyang from May 26 to 29. Founded in 2015, the Big Data Expo had been successfully held for four consecutive sessions and was officially upgraded to a national-level exhibition event in 2017. As the world’s first expo dedicated to big data, it boasts leading edges in internationalization, specialization and marketization, serving as a weathervane for global big data development and the most international and authoritative platform in the industry for exchanging research and industrial achievements.

      In his congratulatory letter to the Expo, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the vigorous development of a new generation of information technologies represented by the Internet, big data and artificial intelligence has exerted major and far-reaching impacts on the economic development, social progress and people’s lives of all countries. It is necessary to seize the opportunities for digital, networked and intelligent development, and properly address the challenges posed by big data development in such areas as law, security and government governance. China attaches great importance to the development of the big data industry and stands ready to share digital development opportunities with all countries. By exploring new technologies, new business forms and new models, we will jointly foster new growth drivers and development paths.

      During this Big Data Expo, the sub-forum themed Ownership Ascertainment, Opening, Sharing and Empowerment of Data — Institutional Construction of Data Economy was grandly held in Guiyang on May 28. The forum was hosted by the Organizing Committee of China International Big Data Industry Expo, undertaken by Renmin University of China, Guiyang University and the Digital Technology Industry Working Committee of China Quality Management Association For Electronics Industry, and co-organized by the Renmin Law and Technology Institute of Renmin University of China Law School, the School of Economics and Management of Guiyang University, the Big Data, Blockchain and RegTech Laboratory of Renmin University of China, among other institutions. More than 300 senior scholars, economists, technical experts, industrial representatives and business leaders from government, enterprises and academia gathered together to conduct in-depth discussions and exchanges centering on "Institutional Construction of Data Economy", contributing wisdom and strength to advancing the development of the data economy.

      The forum boasts three major highlights. First, high-caliber participants. Important leaders including Wang Shijie, Vice Governor of Guizhou Province, and Chen Yan, Deputy Secretary of the Guiyang Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Guiyang attended the event. The forum also assembled world-renowned top academicians from home and abroad, namely Ni Guangnan, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Bill Roscoe, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Member of the Academia Europaea; and Zhang Jing’an, Member of the China Science Center of International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, who delivered brilliant speeches on blockchain as well as the opening and empowerment of data. Second, strong international influence. Distinguished guests in attendance included Mohamed Ben Amor, Secretary-General of the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization; Wen Wu, Chair of the ITU Focus Group on Digital Currency including Digital Fiat Currency and President of the Digital Fiat Currency Institute; Ivan Martinovic, Professor of the University of Oxford and Director of the Oxford Systems Security Laboratory; Lawrence Rufrano, former senior official of the Federal Reserve and Director of the Stanford University Center for Advanced FinTech; and Wei Wang, Assistant Professor of Waseda University. Third, an original Chinese data theory originating from Guiyang, namely "Coken Economics", was unveiled at the forum. This theoretical innovation rooted in Guiyang was developed by Professor Yang Dong and his research team of Renmin University of China through their participation in big data-related practices and research in Guiyang starting from 2014, constituting another major highlight of the Guiyang Big Data Expo of this edition of the Guiyang Big Data Expo.

      During the leadership address session, Comrade Wang Shijie, Vice Governor of the People's Government of Guizhou Province, Comrade Chen Yan, Deputy Secretary of the Guiyang Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Guiyang, Professor Wang Yi, Dean of the Law School and Director of the Renmin Law and Technology Institute of Renmin University of China, and Academician Li Youping of the Chinese Academy of Engineering delivered important speeches respectively.

      Subsequently, Professor Yang Dong released an important research achievement on behalf of the forum, namely Blockchain and Coken Economics: The New Economic Era. As the world’s first monograph featuring an original Chinese data theoretical innovation originating from Guiyang, this book has been published by a renowned British publishing house and distributed globally.

      During the guest keynote session, brilliant speeches were delivered by the following speakers:

      Academician Ni Guangnan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Bill Roscoe, Professor at the University of Oxford, Director of the Oxford Blockchain Research Centre, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Member of the Academia Europaea; Zhang Wen, President of the Beijing Internet Court; Ivan Martinovic, Professor of the University of Oxford and Director of the Oxford Systems Security Laboratory; Mohamed Ben Amor, Secretary-General of the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization; Wen Wu, Chair of the ITU Focus Group on Digital Currency including Digital Fiat Currency and President of theDigital Fiat Currency Institute; Lawrence Rufrano, Director of the Stanford University Center for Advanced FinTech and former senior official of the Federal Reserve; Assistant Professor Wei Wang of Waseda University; Zhang Zhenyu, Director of the Intelligent Technology Division at Ant Group; Yi Taiyang, Deputy Director of the Data Storage Center Construction Office under the Digital Technology Industry Working Committee of China Quality Management Association for Electronic Industry and CEO of Maitian Yunji; and Wu Haitao, Chairman of Feiyang Tianxia Co., Ltd.

      During the panel discussion session, participants focused on core issues including "How should we understand data right confirmation? Where lies the boundary of data rights? How to realize the opening and sharing of data? What role can blockchain play in data empowerment?" Panelists  delved into the nature of data and the data economy. Centering on the forum theme and combining the theory of Coken Economics, they elaborated on the institutional construction of data economy from four dimensions: Ownership Ascertainment, Opening, Sharing and Empowerment of Data. The distinguished panelists are as follows: Liao Fei, Director of Guizhou Provincial Department of Science and Technology; Wu Dahua, President of Guizhou Academy of Social Sciences; Lü Baoping, Party Secretary of Guiyang University; Mao Youbi, President of Guiyang University; Ma Changqing, Inspector of Guizhou Provincial Association for Science and Technology; Ai Anjun, Former Director of the Tenth Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security; Zhao Zhongkang, Former Principal-level Inspector of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Consultant for the World Digital Economy; Chen Baoshan, Former Executive Deputy Director of the Coordination Office of the Anti-Counterfeit Currency Joint Conference of the State Council; Du Kening, Former Deputy Secretary-General and Counselor (Director-General level) of the Chinese Association for Understanding; Sun Mingxi, Director of the Trial Office of Beijing Internet Court; Sun Wei, Deputy Director of the General Office and Technology Officer of the Beijing Internet Court; Liu Jun, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Guiyang Municipal People's Congress; Ren Jianjun, Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Guizhou Branch; Yang Weijun, Researcher and Deputy Director of the First Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security; Chen Pu, Deputy Secretary-General of Guiyang Municipal People's Government; Wang Zhidan, Deputy District Chief of Sucheng District, Suqian City; Associate Professor Zhang Jiyu, Executive Dean of the Renmin Law and Technology Institute, Renmin University of China; Yang Zhibao, Secretary-General of China Quality Management Association For Electronics Industry; Bu Chao, Deputy Director of the Digital Economy Department of Guoyan Think Tank and Deputy Secretary-General of Beijing Computer Federation; Liu Wenxian, Chairman of Guiyang Financial Assets Exchange; Wang Xishun, Director of Jinan Education Television Station; Zhao Junhua, Deputy Director of the Digital Technology Industry Working Committee of the China Quality Management Association for Electronics Industry; Ma Minghui, Deputy Director of the Digital Technology Industry Working Committee of the China Quality Management Association for Electronics Industry; Wang Xia, Research Fellow of the Big Data Research Center of Huanqiu.com; Associate Professor Zhang Nandiyang, School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China.

      This forum on the data economy can be summed up in three phrases: clear orientation, solid foundation and fruitful outcomes. The forum opened at 9 a.m., and the venue remained packed with a vibrant atmosphere until its closing at 1 p.m. The data economy constitutes a crucial opportunity for all countries to pursue sustainable development, and it is of great significance for expanding new economic development horizons, advancing the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, and boosting sustainable economic growth. This landmark grand gathering connects intellectual resources across the globe and fuels an upsurge in the data economy. It accurately grasps the development trend of big data in the new era. Within an international exchange environment, participants consolidate shared insights and generate think tank research deliverables. The world’s first English monograph elaborating on the theory of Coken Economics was released at the forum, which will unlock broader prospects and inject stronger impetus into the growth of the Big Data Expo and the data economy at large.

Editor:Xu Liuya

Reviewer: Zhu Peiwen