Global Digital Economy Forum for Small and Medium Enterprises 2020

With accelerated innovation in information and communication technologies, the digital economy, which takes digitalized knowledge and data as key production factors, has developed rapidly. The recent years have witnessed enormous new technologies, new business formats and new models arising. Most countries have shifted to digital economy as an important strategy to reinvigorate national economy and recompose core competitiveness. China has also made efforts to seize the important opportunities brought up by the development of digital economy. At the G20 Hangzhou Summit, “Digital Economy” was for the first time atop the agenda of the G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth, and the G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative was adopted and widely welcomed by all.

The Global Digital Economy Forum for Small and Medium Enterprises 2020 (DES2020) is hosted by China Association for Science and Technology(CAST). DES2020 aims at mounting a platform for exchanges of ideas and conversations, and invites business leaders, representatives from international organizations, world-renowned scientists and economists, representatives of think tanks and media. DES2020 will host main forum, six sub-forums and over ten sessions of on-line discussions directly addressing challenges faced by small and medium enterprises who are struggling with digital transformation.

Introduction to CAST

As the largest non-governmental organization of scientific and technological professionals in China, the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) serves as a bridge that links the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government to the country's science and technology community. Through its 210 national member societies and local branches all over the country, CAST maintains close ties with millions of Chinese scientists, engineers and other professionals working in the fields of science and technology.

CAST maintains cooperative relations with scientific and technological organizations of many countries and, as the representative of the Chinese science and technology community, is the national members of ICSU, WFEO and many other international scientific and technological organizations. In 2004, CAST was granted consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

The highest leading organ of CAST is the National Congress that meets every five years and the National Committee elected by it. The President of the current National Committee is Prof. Dr. Wan Gang. The Secretariat appointed by the National Committee is responsible for the daily operation of CAST, which is headed by the Chief Executive Secretary — Prof. Dr. Huai Jinpeng.