Executives share views on China's Web future: Chang Xiaobing

Editor's note: The Second World Internet Conference, also known as the Wuzhen Summit, is taking place in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. China Daily reporters interviewed Chang Xiaobing, Chairman of China Telecommunications Corp, to learn his views.

Q: What role is the Internet likely to play in China's next Five-Year Plan (2016-20) during the economy's new normal phase of slower, more sustained growth?

A: In the next five years, one of China's priorities is to strengthen reforms on the supply side by encouraging traditional industries to embrace the Internet. It is the duty of telecom carriers to help promote the Internet Plus strategy. The strategy's essence is to help meet existing demand in a more efficient and convenient way while leveraging the Internet to spur new demand. This will be the new engine for China's economy and reform.

Q: China aims to become a world leader in Internet technology. In what spheres do you think the country is particularly well placed to achieve this goal? What skills that China excels in do you think could be exploited to this end? What is the biggest hurdle that stands in the way of China achieving its goal?

A: China has the world's largest broadband network, with the largest Internet population and the biggest number of 4G users. Three Chinese enterprises have made their way into the top 10 global Internet companies. These achievements lay a good foundation for China to be a cyber power.

As China's economic reform is reaching the critical turning point, the biggest challenge is how to boost China's innovation capability, which will be the fundamental driver of China's growth.

Q: Which particular industry do you think is going to be "shaken" by the Internet, or which area do you find the most promising to apply the government action plan of Internet Plus?

A: The Internet is reshaping many sectors such as retailing, finance, healthcare, education, transportation and agriculture. I believe the Internet will play a more important role in upgrading manufacturing enterprises. The manufacturing sector contributes to a large portion of China's GDP.

At the same time, it is the most difficult sector to push through structural reforms. The application of the Internet in manufacturing companies, especially high-end manufacturing, will promise huge opportunities.

Q: In China's Internet sector are there any areas (such as cross-border e-commerce, video or gaming) that you expect to do particularly well in the coming years?

A: The integration of the Internet and traditional industries will greatly boost economic growth. The Internet of Things, cloud computing and big data will become the new infrastructure. China Telecom will leverage our advantage in Internet infrastructure and core competence in communication technology to help implement the Internet Plus strategy. We will focus on building comprehensive telecommunication networks and tackling Internet security problems. For instance, China Telecom is intensifying efforts to develop better mobile products to protect consumers and businesses' information and data online.

Q: If you were to give an Internet startup just one piece of advice, what would it be?

A: Entrepreneurship is a way of realizing your dreams, and innovation will help you build a better future.