Hu Qiheng: Paving the way for China’s information revolution

—Individual Recipient of the 2024 World Internet Conference Distinguished Contribution Award

Hu Qiheng

Hu Qiheng of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) is an expert in automatic control technology, specializing in pattern recognition, artificial intelligence, and internet research and governance. In 1963, she earned her Candidate of Sciences degree from the Moscow Institute of Chemical Machinery in the former Soviet Union.

In 1994, as vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), she visited the US National Science Foundation and played a key role in the establishment of China's first 64K international connection to the internet via Sprint Corporation.

After bringing the internet to China, Hu remained deeply involved in its early development. In 1995, she led the restructuring of a research institute under the CAS and established the Computer Network Information Center, which focused on internet services.

In 1997, the CAS was authorized to establish and manage the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), initiating registration services for China's ".cn" domain address tag.

In 2013, Hu was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame for her pioneering contributions to the internet's development, becoming the first Chinese recipient of this prestigious honor.

Reflecting on the early days of the internet in China, Hu noted that the country's reform and opening-up and the development of the internet have driven each other forward. Reform enabled China to rapidly enter the information age, and the internet in turn accelerated that transformation. China's reform and opening-up has changed the world, she remarked, and its connection to the internet has had a profound impact on the internet itself.

Hu emphasized that the development of the internet in China goes far beyond simply importing technology—it requires sustained innovation and effort over generations. Rooted in China's fertile ground, she believes the internet will continue to thrive with great vitality and resilience.

In addition to her domestic contributions, Hu has also participated in global internet governance. She has served as a member of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance, a member of the Strategic Council of the United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development, and a member of ICANN's Multilingual Internet Names Consortium. Her work has helped foster international dialogue and cooperation between the Chinese internet community and the broader global network.

The World Internet Conference launched its Distinguished Contribution Award in 2024 to recognize individuals and enterprises that have made outstanding contributions to the global internet sector. The first award ceremony was held at last year's Wuzhen Summit, where seven global leaders and 14 renowned companies were honored.