Experts discuss AI-driven digital trade at WIC forum

The Capacity Building Program on AI-Driven Digital Trade, a featured initiative under the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Digital Silk Road Development Forum, opened in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on July 21. 

Four leading experts shared insights on AI governance, cross-border data governance, digital trade and industry practices, helping nearly 50 participants from more than 20 countries and regions deepen their understanding of AI-driven digital trade and strengthen their professional capabilities.

Nishtha Mehta, international senior advisor for the Centers of Excellence for AI and Digital Transformation at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), spoke on "UNIDO Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing (AIM Global): Democratizing AI for Sustainable Industrialization.”

She described data as the "fuel" of digital trade, emphasizing that digital trade encompasses the entire value chain, from goods and services to logistics and data governance. Mehta stressed that AI capacity building should be guided by local needs and translated into practical solutions.

She said AIM Global promotes capacity building, scalable development, collaborative innovation and ecosystem enhancement, while encouraging the responsible adoption of AI through international cooperation, open-source resources and shared governance experience.

John Higgins, co-lead of the Standards Program of the WIC Specialized Committee on Artificial Intelligence and chair of the International AI Governance Association, discussed the evolution of trade tools in the AI era.

He said AI-driven digital trade is one of the most promising drivers of future growth, complementing rather than replacing traditional trade. Higgins emphasized the importance of common terminology, trusted standards and open-source ecosystems, while aligning cross-sector governance frameworks with industry-specific solutions.

He encouraged countries to build AI ecosystems on existing infrastructure rather than starting from scratch, strengthen international standards cooperation, remove barriers to data sharing, and expand capacity building efforts to help bridge the global digital and AI divide.

Lin Zhiqiang, division director for the Data and Technical Support Center of the Cyberspace Administration of China, presented an overview of global cross-border data flows and China's cross-border data governance framework.

He said data has become a key production factor alongside capital and labor, leading economies around the world to adopt different regulatory approaches. Lin explained that China's framework seeks to balance development and security, while reducing compliance costs for small and medium-sized enterprises and supporting an open, inclusive, secure and cooperative environment for cross-border data flows.

Song Juntao, vice-chair of the WIC Specialized Committee on E-commerce and former secretary-general of the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), spoke on cross-border e-commerce and governance in the AI era.

He said AI is transforming every stage of cross-border e-commerce, from product selection and marketing to logistics and customs clearance, while enabling new business models, such as one-person companies. 

Song called for stronger multilateral governance, viewing AI governance as a shared capacity building effort rather than a competition among countries, and encouraged broader participation in international rule-making to ensure AI benefits all.

Participants from more than 20 countries and regions engaged in discussions with the speakers on AI applications and digital trade governance.

The WIC Digital & AI Academy (WICDA) serves as the WIC’s platform for capacity-building cooperation and exchange. It focuses on digital and AI capacity building worldwide, particularly in developing countries. WICDA aims to cultivate digital and AI talent, bridge the digital and AI divide, and ensure that all countries benefit from inclusive development.