BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Experts from around the world point to the Internet of Things (IoT) as a driving force for both an inclusive digital economy and sustainable development at a global convention Friday in Beijing.

"As digital technologies are reshaping the global economy, they have the potential to become a key engine of economic growth and social welfare," Amandeep Singh Gill, under-secretary-general of the United Nations, said at the opening ceremony of the World Internet of Things Convention (WIOTC) 2025.

Themed "Intelligently Interconnected New Economy, Smart Society in the New Era," the two-day event has brought together officials, experts, scholars and business representatives from over 80 countries to discuss the role of IoT in advancing a common and sustainable digital transformation of the global economy.

IoT refers to everyday devices being connected to the internet so they can collect data, communicate and work automatically. From home appliances to industrial equipment -- IoT enables remote control and smarter, more efficient operation.

Three main forums and six sideline sessions will be held to discuss the application of IoT in various sectors, such as industrial internet, smart energy, intelligent vehicles, "AI+IoT" and low-altitude technologies.

"Today, IoT is no longer a distant vision," said Torbjorn Fredriksson, head of the E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch of UN Trade and Development, noting that there were approximately 19 billion IoT connections worldwide in 2024, while this figure is projected to more than double by 2030, citing an Ericsson mobility report.

IoT and smart technologies are increasingly being applied across industries including manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, education and home appliances, driving intelligent upgrades across all sectors, said Yu Lianghuan, general manager of Haier Smart Home AIoT, emphasizing the continuous expansion of the market scale and application fields of IoT and digital economy.

Amid the rapid growth of IoT, Kathleen Kramer, president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, highlighted that rapid expansion comes with risk, fragmented standards, data misuse and uneven access.

"The digital economy must not only be smart. It must be ethical, resilient and universally empowering," Kramer said.

In this regard, experts in attendance pointed to the importance of global cooperation in guiding the healthy development of this sector. "We should uphold multilateralism and strengthen global cooperation to build an interconnected digital economy -- and share the benefits with all," noted He Xuming, chairman of the WIOTC Executive Committee.

"The tide of economic and social progress driven by IoT smart technologies is unstoppable, ushering humanity into a smarter era marked by greater justice, fairness and scientific order," He said. Enditem