China’s Digital Economy Shares One Third of GDP

Apple chief Tim Cook at the internet conference in China, which was also attended by the head of Google, Sundar Pichai.	-AFP
Apple chief Tim Cook at the internet conference in China, which was also attended by the head of Google, Sundar Pichai. -AFP
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China’s Digital Economy Shares One Third of GDP

Apple chief Tim Cook at the internet conference in China, which was also attended by the head of Google, Sundar Pichai.	-AFP
Apple chief Tim Cook at the internet conference in China, which was also attended by the head of Google, Sundar Pichai. -AFP

China confirms that its digital economy accounts for nearly a third of gross domestic product, according to a report unveiled in the eastern city of Wuzhen during the fourth World Internet Conference where it declared that Chinese cyberspace is "open" -- but subject to controls for the greater good.

The report released on Monday by the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, said China's digital economy reached 22.58 trillion yuan ($3.4 trillion) in 2016. That figure is second only to the United States and accounts for 30.3 percent of the country's overall economy, according to the report.

The report assessed global internet development from a number of factors including industry capacity and "governance", China's code word for restrictions.

"China's experience suggests that both factors are crucial to a sound development of the internet that aims to serve the fundamental interests of the people," Xu Yunhong, an official from the academy, told a news conference in Wuzhen.

The three-day conference, which closes Tuesday, was set up to counter western criticism of its internet restrictions, which include blocking Facebook, Twitter and other foreign platforms, and bans on a range of content deemed politically threatening to the Communist Party.

China has cracked down even harder this year, including enacting new rules requiring foreign tech companies to store user data inside the country, imposing fresh content restrictions.

Participants at the Wuzhen conference enjoyed unrestricted internet access during the conference.

Despite criticism, Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai took part in the conference this year, demonstrating the huge scale of the digital market in China.

Apple has been criticized for its cooperation with China and removing applications such as Skype from its digital store, which ensures the security of Internet communication. Google is believed to be seeking to return to China after withdrawing from it years ago because of disagreement over censorship and its cyber attacks.

Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai appeared to avoid criticism at Wuzhen, and the representatives of the two companies did not respond to questions from the French press for more information.



OPEC Expects Solid Second-Half of 2025 for World Economy

FILE PHOTO: People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemeto/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemeto/File Photo
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OPEC Expects Solid Second-Half of 2025 for World Economy

FILE PHOTO: People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemeto/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemeto/File Photo

OPEC said on Monday it expected the global economy to remain resilient in the second half of this year and trimmed its forecast for growth in oil supply from the United States and other producers outside the wider OPEC+ group in 2026.

In a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries also left its forecasts for global oil demand growth unchanged in 2025 and 2026, after reductions in April. It said the economic outlook was robust despite trade concerns.

“The global economy has outperformed expectations so far in the first half of 2025,” OPEC said in the report.

“This strong base from the first half of 2025 is anticipated to provide support and sufficient momentum into a sound second half of 2025. However, the growth trend is expected to moderate slightly on a quarterly basis,” it added.

In the report, OPEC also said supply from countries outside the Declaration of Cooperation - the formal name for OPEC+ - will rise by about 730,000 barrels per day in 2026, down 70,000 bpd from last month's forecast.

A solid economy shrugging off trade conflicts and a slowdown in supply growth outside OPEC+ - which groups OPEC plus Russia and other allies - would make it easier for OPEC+ to balance the oil market.

Rapid growth from US shale and from other countries has weighed on prices in recent years.

OPEC puts the call on OPEC+ crude at 42.7 million barrels per day in 2025 and 43.2 million barrels per day in 2026.

This came after OPEC+ crude production rose by 180,000 barrels per day to 41.23 million barrels per day in May while overall OPEC crude-oil production rose by 183,000 barrels a day to 27.02 million barrels per day.

Meanwhile, OPEC is anticipating stable US shale oil production on an annual basis in 2026.