Interview: China's efforts in promoting digital trade benefit world, says expert

Visitors walk past the Silk Road E-commerce Pavilion at the second Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Lingyi)

China has a lot of experience in this area and can share best practices and lessons learned with small businesses of other developing countries.

GENEVA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The promotion of digital trade creates new business opportunities, while China's efforts in this area have a positive impact on the world, especially developing countries, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Center (ITC), has said.

The development of China's digital economy over the last few decades has been remarkable, with the rise of platforms such as Alibaba, Jingdong, Tencent and TikTok, Coke-Hamilton said in a recent written interview with Xinhua.

The digital economy has changed the daily life of the Chinese people, especially the younger generations, as it "has made services easier, choices more comprehensive, and goods cheaper," said Coke-Hamilton.

More online influencers from Africa, Asia and Latin America are using livestreaming to sell products of their countries to the Chinese market, Coke-Hamilton said.

"China has a lot of experience in this area and can share best practices and lessons learned with small businesses of other developing countries," she said.

"Digital connectivity is set to be one of the biggest difference makers when it comes to the future of trade," said Coke-Hamilton.

Referring to the second Global Digital Trade Expo that runs from Thursday to Monday in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, the expert said "we're participating in this expo because technology is transforming the global trade landscape ... we want to make sure small businesses of developing countries benefit from this transition."

A foreign guest experiences livestreaming at the Silk Road E-commerce Pavilion during the second Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Lingyi)

The development of digital trade presents opportunities for small businesses on the one hand and challenges on the other hand, she stressed.

"That's why we're working with governments, institutions and development partners to support the building of a more business and development-friendly environment for small businesses, including through platforms such as the Global Digital Trade Expo," said Coke-Hamilton.

The ITC looks forward to promoting projects in the areas of cross-border e-commerce, digital trade standards and the promotion of electronic bills of lading to help small businesses in developing countries to take part in digital trade, Coke-Hamilton said.

"In the future, we will also explore with local governments, such as Zhejiang Province, how to better utilize the Global Digital Trade Expo platform to promote South-South trade and investment," she added.