Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Friday that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with other countries to promote the development of digital economy.

The digital economy has been changing methods of production and the way people live, and its role as a new engine for economic growth has become increasingly prominent, Li said in a congratulatory letter to the 2017 China International Big Data Expo that opened Friday in southwest Guizhou Province.

The Chinese government has attached great importance to the development of the digital economy, and promoted innovation-driven development and reform in such areas as streamlining administrative procedure and delegating power to lower levels, to boost social creativity and market vitality as well as transform and upgrade the economy, Li said in the letter.

Under the theme "Digital Economy Drives New Growth," the expo centers on the use of big data, while showcasing the latest technological innovations.