Youths called on to foster positive digital ecosystem

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends the 2025 China Internet Civilization Conference and delivers a keynote speech in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, June 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

An initiative calling on young people to foster a positive digital ecosystem was unveiled on Tuesday at the 2025 China Internet Civilization Conference in Hefei, Anhui province.

China's 540 million young netizens represent a vital force in the advancement of cyber civilization, the organizers of the event said, underlining the significance of the initiative.

According to the initiative, young people are the most active group in the virtual world and play a crucial role in making the cyberspace civilized. By guiding young netizens into becoming the participants, keepers, communicators and promoters of civilized behavior, the whole online environment can be injected with positive energy, it said.

The two-day conference, themed on gathering positive energy online and fostering new trends of the times, was jointly held by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, along with Anhui provincial authorities.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a keynote speech at the event.

According to the initiative, young people should use the internet in accordance with law and debunk online rumors, and they should also uphold social values to fill the online environment with integrity and positive energy.

Hong Xin, deputy secretary of the Communist Youth League of China Hefei Municipal Committee, said the initiative can provide young people with clear behavioral guidelines, steering them to uphold moral standards and abide by laws and regulations in the digital world.

"We look forward to the active participation of young people in promoting cyber civilization. Starting with themselves, they can spread positive energy, collectively create a clean and upright online community, and make the internet a powerful force for driving social progress," Hong said.

Pan Jianwei, a quantum physicist and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the development of technologies is important in building a clean and upright cyberspace ecosystem.

"The supercomputing capabilities of quantum computing can significantly enhance the accuracy of information discernment, making it impossible for online rumors and deepfakes to go undetected," he said.

With the help of quantum computing, a fairer and more open content distribution mechanism can be designed, presenting more authentic and comprehensive information to a vast number of netizens, Pan said.

In addition to the main forum, 14 sub-forums — focusing on topics such as strengthening the sense of community for the Chinese nation, debunking online rumors, social responsibility of internet companies, cultivation of high-quality online hosts, and enhancing national digital literacy and skills — were also held.

Niu Yibing, deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said at a sub-forum that all sectors of society should be encouraged to share their stories on how to better forge the sense of community for the Chinese nation in the digital world.

"We should use platforms favored by young people to promote those stories, so that they can cultivate confidence and pride in building a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and focus on constructing a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation," he said.