November 8th 2018, forum themed “International Rules of Cyberspace: Practice and Exploration” was held by Wuhan University, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, and Shanghai Academy of Social Science in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province. The forum was one of the 19 sub-forums of the World Internet Conference.
Deputy Director of the National Internet Information Office Liu Liehong, Director of the National Internet Office International Cooperation Bureau Qi Xiaoxia, Director of the Department of Arms Control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Long Zhou, and over 100 domestic and overseas experts from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, and United States East West Institute and other institutes attended the forum.
Liu Liehong said that the Forum of International Rules of Cyberspace is the only forum of the World Internet Conference focused on the international law-making-and-developing of cyberspace. It is a significant step in the global internet governance system construction. Liu said that he hope the experts would stick to the spirit of openness and cooperation, discuss the hot spot issues and trends of the cyberspace international rules to the full extend, so as to offer more and better thoughts for the cyberspace international rules governance and make the governance system a more just and reasonable one.
Dean of Wuhan University School of Law and Director of Network Governance Institute Professor Feng Guo gave speech on behalf of the undertaker of the forum. Professor Feng said that the international attribute of cyberspace international rules makes it dependent on the international rules accepted world-wide. The focus on international rule-making of cyberspace is of great importance to the cyberspace community of shared future through communication, mutual understanding, and consensus.
Deputy Dean of Wuhan University School of Law and Executive Director of Network Governance Institute Professor Huang Zhixiong gave keynote speech on the forum. Focusing on the issue of cyberspace sovereignty, Professor Huang illustrated the necessity in the initiative and establishment of cyberspace sovereignty, clarified the connotations and denotations of cyberspace sovereignty, and put forward several principles in exercising the cyberspace sovereignty.
It is reported that the Fifth World Internet Conference was held in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province from November 7th to 9th, themed “Creating a Digital World of Mutual Trust and Collective Governance: Towards a Community with Shared Future in Cyberspace”. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the CPC Huang Kunming attended the opening ceremony, read out President Xi Jingping’s congratulatory letter, and gave keynote speech.
The International Rules of Cyberspace Forum was first set up on the Fourth World Internet Conference in 2017 and continued to be one of the sub-forums this year. Wuhan University took active part in promoting this forum, and was invited two years in a row by the National Internet Information Office as the co-organizer of this forum. The success of this forum contributes to enhancing the domestic and international influence of Wuhan University in the field of cyberspace governance.
