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(Download PDF) World Internet Development Report 2021 Blue Book For World Internet Conference Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies Full Chapter PDF
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Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies
World Internet
Development
Report 2021
Blue Book for World Internet Conference
Translated by CCTB Translation Service
World Internet Development Report 2021
Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
Preface
The world undergoes great changes that have not been seen in a century, which
accelerated and complicated international environment in 2021. Unilateralism and
protectionism continued to proliferate. Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic proved a
protracted one and the virus mutated frequently. The prevention and control of the
pandemic presented a grim picture, and the recovery of world economy remained in
the doldrums. Global industrial chain and supply chain were reshaped, with insta-
bility and uncertainty significantly rising. Major countries in the world quickened
digital transformation, and digital economy expanded against headwinds, signaling a
stage of fast development of digital economy. This year, we compile World Internet
Development Report 2021 (hereinafter referred to as “the Report”) to review and
investigate world Internet development, represent the status quo of world Internet
development, and analyze the trends of world Internet development in an objective
way.
(1) The Report tallies with global practice of the idea or proposition of building
“a community with a shared future in cyberspace”. Chinese President Xi Jinping
puts forward the idea or proposition of building “a community with a shared future
in cyberspace”, which highlights high concern for common well-being of mankind,
expresses common expectations of international community, and is becoming an
international consensus. Presently, promoting the reform of a global Internet gover-
nance system, as a significant topic that arouses worldwide concern, has been univer-
sally acknowledged and vigorously supported. During the compilation of the Report,
we uphold President Xi Jinping’s idea or proposition of building “a community with
a shared future in cyberspace”, display joint efforts of countries to curb the abuse
of information technology and combat cyberattacks, and demonstrate the status quo
of world Internet development as well as the beautiful vision of people of all coun-
tries for Internet development, hoping to jointly build cyberspace into a community
for development, a community for security, a community for responsibility, and a
community for common interests that benefits all mankind.
(2) The Report scrutinizes the trends of world Internet development and
mirrors new measures and progress in Internet construction in various coun-
tries. The Report shows the characteristics of world Internet development. Over the
v
vi Preface
past year, international order of cyberspace was reshaped rapidly, and the layout of
key areas was accelerated, in which the formulation of international digital rules
became a central issue in international competition and game. The construction of
digital government steadily advanced, and “combating the pandemic with digital
technology” became top priority of digital management and services of governments.
The convergence of Internet media formed a prominent trend, and the construction
of cybersecurity intensified, with the investment to network infrastructure increased.
World rule-of-law construction in cyberspace sped up. Major countries and regions
in the world successively introduced a series of laws, regulations, and policy docu-
ments on supply-chain security, data security, and personal information protection,
which continuously augmented antitrust regulation against platform.
(3) The Report strives to illustrate new landscape and features of world
Internet development in a comprehensive, accurate, and objective manner.
Focusing on the status quo and trend of world Internet development, the Report
optimizes the index system of world Internet development and systematically eval-
uates Internet development in 48 representative countries in five continents from six
dimensions, i.e., infrastructure, innovation capacity, industrial development, Internet
application, cybersecurity, and cyberspace governance. The Report deeply analyzes
the highlights in eights aspects, i.e., information infrastructure, information tech-
nology, digital economy, digital government, Internet media, cybersecurity, and rule-
of-law construction in cyberspace and international cyberspace governance, in a bid
to reflect new circumstances, problems, and requirements of Internet development
in major countries in the world more comprehensively, accurately, and objectively.
The Report truthfully records the progress of world Internet development. In the
future, we will attach more attention to the trend of world Internet development and
contribute Chinese wisdom to facilitating the construction of “a community with a
shared future in cyberspace”.
1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 World Internet Development in 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.1 The Construction of Network Infrastructure
Accelerates, with the Investment to Network
Infrastructure Increased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.2 The Innovation on Digital Technology Continues
to Advance, with Consensus on Technology Governance . . . 3
1.1.3 Global Digital Economy Grows Against Headwinds
and the Layout of Key Fields Accelerates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.1.4 The Construction of Digital Government Steadily
Progresses, with Emphasis on Collaboration
in Combating the COVID-19 Pandemic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.1.5 Internet Media Convergence Forms a Trend
and Algorithmic Regulation Intensifies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.1.6 Cybersecurity Risks Keep Rising, and Supply-Chain
Security and Data Security Arouse Widespread Concern . . . 9
1.1.7 The Rule-of-Law Construction in Cyberspace
Incessantly Accelerates and Antitrust Regulation
Continuously Intensifies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.1.8 International Competition on Digital Rule-Making
Is Fierce and International Order in Cyberspace Is
Rapidly Reshaped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.2 Internet Development in Representative Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.2.1 Index Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.2.2 GIDI System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.2.3 Analysis of Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.3 Internet Development in Representative Countries and Regions . . . 31
1.3.1 The United States Continues to Take the Lead
in the World in Internet Comprehensive Strength . . . . . . . . . 31
1.3.2 Internet Development in China Comes to the Stage
of Enhancing Quality and Improving Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . 35
vii
viii Contents
Postscript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Chapter 1
Overview
Today, the world is undergoing changes that have not seen in a century. The COVID-
19 pandemic has a far-reaching impact on humans, IT revolution evolves rapidly,
and digital economy thrives. These deeply alter the mode of human production and
life and affect the socioeconomic development of various countries, the construc-
tion of global governance systems and the evolution of human civilization. In the
past year, a new-round scientific and technological revolution and industrial trans-
formation accelerated, and the innovation on digital technology achieved break-
throughs in many fields. In traditional economy, the digital transformation of indus-
trial models quickened. Production factors, organizational forms and competitive
paradigms continued to evolve, with global industrial division systems further reor-
ganized. Digital economy served as an important choice for countries in the world to
hedge against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and speed up socioeconomic
transformation. Countries in the world accelerated the layout of new-type infras-
tructure. New-type information infrastructure represented by 5G, AI, IoT, industrial
Internet and satellite Internet turned to be new momentum for global economic
growth. Major countries strived to strengthen the R&D capability of cutting-edge
technologies, organize technological alliances, and formulate technological rules, so
as to forge dominant position in cyberspace development. Social media remained
active. Some countries continuously enhanced content governance and energeti-
cally combated false information. Besides, various countries in the world vigorously
promoted the construction of cybersecurity-guarantee capacity, constantly enhanced
rule-of-law construction in cyberspace, and fortified data security and personal infor-
mation protection, which produced remarkable progress in international cyberspace
governance.
Noticeably, global trade protectionism emerges and unbalanced development
among countries deteriorates. New technological barriers and the pandemic coalesce,
which enlarges digital divide, employment crisis and the gap between the rich and
the poor. Threats to cybersecurity become prominent, and targeted or organized
cyberattacks paint a grim picture. International order in cyberspace is reshaped fast.
In the arena, the debate over data security, platform governance, technology gover-
nance and supply-chain security continues to heat up. Confronted with the instability
and uncertainty of cyberspace development, various countries should act with the
trends of the times, undertake the responsibility of development, address risks and
challenges together, promote global cyberspace governance, and build cyberspace
into a community for development, a community for security, a community for
responsibility, and a community for common interests that benefits all mankind.
Now, human society sees new-round scientific and technological revolution and
industrial transformation. Featuring ubiquity, integration and intelligence, new-type
infrastructure represented by 5G, IoT, industrial Internet and satellite Internet func-
tions as new driving force for global economic growth. Over the past year, the evolu-
tion and upgrading of global communication network infrastructure accelerated,
and fixed broadband network advanced from the fiber-to-the-home to the Gigabit
era of optical connectivity. By the end of 2020, the number of fixed broadband
connection in the world had reached 1.18 billion.1 By the end of May 2021, 443
telecom operators in 133 countries and regions had invested in 5G, of which 169
telecom operators in 70 countries and regions launched 5G commercial services.2
The popularization and deployment of IPv6 quickened, and industrial giants like
SapceX, OneWeb and Amazon promptly promoted the construction of satellite
Internet. The competition on computing infrastructure became fierce. Global cloud
computing developed fast. Data center, edge-computing platform and supercom-
puting center served as important computing infrastructure. Globally, the deployment
of emerging-technology infrastructure sped up, and major countries and regions in the
world successively adopted AI strategies. Taking data, algorithm, computing power
and platform as core elements, AI infrastructure resources received wide attention.
Blockchain was applied to distributed use cases that called for cross-regional, cross-
industrial and cross-filed collaboration. Major countries stepped up the implementa-
tion of long-distance quantum communication trunk-line projects. The construction
of application-oriented infrastructure developed quickly. The deployment of global
commercial cellular-IoT network continually expanded, the construction of indus-
trial Internet achieved positive progress, the construction of core infrastructure like
network facilities and identification and resolution systems accelerated, and Internet
of Vehicles (IoV) entered the “fast lane”.
As governments in the world commonly recognize, the construction of network
infrastructure means an important support for robustly enlarging effective demand
and effectually addressing the economic downturn under the impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic. For example, Russia releases The Roadmap for the Development of
Quantum Communication in Russian Federation3 to quicken the development of
quantum communication technology and IoT. The European Union publishes 2030
Digital Compass: The European Way for the Digital Decade,4 which proposes to
build a safe, high-performance and sustainable digital infrastructure, via which
people can obtain affordable, safe and high-quality network connections. Simul-
taneously, some countries intentionally create digital barriers, restrict or prohibit
foreign digital hardware device and software service providers from doing business
in domestic markets, and curb normal market behaviors of corporations with tech-
nological advantages. These actions impede international cooperation in digital area
and infrastructure construction conducted among countries based on mutual trust
and cause the new digital divide.
“Micro kernel + modular design” formed a new fashion, IoT operating systems
diversified, and industrial software featured platform-based, cloud service-based and
low code-based development. Global open-source-technology ecology developed at
a high speed. A series of software or hardware products in emerging technology,
e.g. AI, cloud computing and big data, took open-source ecology as a major devel-
opment path. RISC-V kindled an upsurge for open-source hardware and open chip
design. In the cutting-edge fields, AI algorithms in computer vision, natural language
processing and other fields continued to innovate iteratively, and AI chips served as
the underlying structure that supported AI-technology industry. Cloud native tech-
nology matured and accelerated the construction of new-type infrastructure. Various
technological routes of quantum communication paralleled. The theoretical frame-
work as well as R&D and application of quantum measurement took shape, with
significant progress in exploring quantum application. New technologies and appli-
cations came to rise. The R&D of new drugs accelerated with the aid of AI, automatic
driving entered the pilot of L3 use case, and digital twin technology turned to reality
in a fast way.
With the rise of new-generation AI technology in the world, to effectively govern
AI becomes a key topic that arouses widespread concern in international community.
Countries actively increase their investment to boost technological innovation and
development, strengthen the governance of AI and other technologies, and facili-
tate the orderly development of technological norms. In January 2021, the United
Nations published an article, calling on all countries in the world to be vigilant
against the negative consequences of using AI technologies, such as bias, racism and
false information.5 In March 2021, the European Union officially established the
European Innovation Council (EIC), which planned to invest more than 10 billion
euros from 2021 to 2027. In this way, EU member states can make more innova-
tions or breakthroughs in self-perception AI and other fields.6 In April 2021, the
European Commission unveiled the proposal of Artificial Intelligence Act and took
different regulatory measures for AI systems at different risk levels in different use
cases.7 In June 2021, the United States launched Innovation and Competition Act
of 2021, which increased investment in AI, semiconductor, biotechnology, quantum
computing, advanced communications and advanced energy, so as to strengthen
America’s leading technological advantages.
5 UN News: “Bias, Racism and Lies: Facing up to the Unwanted Consequences of AI”, January 4,
2021, https://news.un.org/zh/story/2021/01/1075032.
6 Science and Technology Daily: “Newly-Founded European Innovation Council (EIC) Focuses
For major countries in the world, digital economy means an important choice to
hedge against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and speed up socioeconomic
transformation. In the past year, the integration of the global digital economy and real
economy deepened, and digital industrialization advanced steadily. Basic telecom-
munications industry kept improving. As IDC predicted, in 2021, global expendi-
ture on telecommunications service would total 1.54 trillion U.S. dollars.8 Elec-
tronic information manufacturing progressed stably, IT service industries like big
data, AI and blockchain maintained high-speed development, and Internet informa-
tion content service industry grew against headwinds. Industrial digitization played
a crucial role in boosting global digital economy. The digitization of manufac-
turing further deepened. Major countries actively implemented the strategy of “Re-
industrialization”, regarded new-generation IT as a key element in reshaping the
competitive advantage of industrial chain, and promoted the deep integration of
digital technology and manufacturing systems.
Agricultural digitization develops steadily. In 2020, the scale of global smart agri-
culture market achieved c. 13.8 billion U.S. dollars,9 with agricultural robots exten-
sively used. The digitization of service industry accelerates, and online education and
online medical markets grow fast. In 2020, the scale of global online education market
exceeded 250 billion U.S. dollars,10 and the scale of online medical market reached
around 152.4 billion U.S. dollars.11 Fintech thrives. Various countries successively
deploy digital currencies. According to the latest survey report of Bank for Interna-
tional Settlements, around 86% of central banks in 65 countries or economies studied
digital currency, and the proportion of central banks that tested digital currency or
conducted POC (proof of concept) increased from 42% in 2019 to 60% in 2020.12
E-commerce advances against headwinds and becomes an economic driving force to
foster domestic growth and international trade. Cross-border e-commerce functions
as a new growth point to stabilize foreign trade. In 2020, global e-commerce sales
amounted to 428 million U.S. dollars.13
Countries launch strategic measures to quicken digital economy growth. Lashed
by the COVID-19 pandemic, global economic output dropped by 4.3% in 2020,
marking the most significant recession since the Great Depression.14 Various coun-
tries prioritize digital economy in their development strategies, enthusiastically
promote digital legislation, deploy cutting-edge fields, and further the normal and
innovative development of digital economy. Since 2020, the United States has issued
Federal Data Strategy 2020 Action Plan, Pioneering the Future Advanced Computing
Ecosystem: A Strategic Plan and other strategies to ensure America’s leading role in
the world. The European Union releases Shaping Europe’s Digital Future, A Euro-
pean Strategy for Data, A New Industrial Strategy for Europe and 2030 Digital
Compass: the European Way for the Digital Decade to accelerate the digital trans-
formation of Europe. In the meantime, as antitrust against platform becomes a world-
wide issue, various countries enhance antitrust against platforms. In December 2020,
the European Union published Digital Markets Act (Draft), which reinforced the
prior supervision of large-scale digital platforms and required platforms to notify
the mergers and acquisitions in advance. In June 2021, the United States launched a
number of proposals of antitrust acts, such as Ending Platform Monopolies Act, Plat-
form Competition and Opportunity Act and The American Innovation and Choice
Online Act. These acts meant a major change to existent antitrust legislation in the
United States.
The construction of global digital government has been widely actualized. Major
countries on a global scale successively carry out digital government strategies and
center on infrastructure construction, open public data, online government services
and citizen’s digital participation in their construction of digital government. Over
the past year, many countries continuously furthered the construction of govern-
ment informatization, government cloud platforms and data center systems, in order
to enhance the swift deployment and resilient expansion of government informa-
tion systems. 5G network was the central work in the construction of government
infrastructure in various countries. Open data was widely recognized among coun-
tries. The number of countries that established OGD (open government data) portals
jumped from 46 in 2014 to 153 in 2020.15 The coverage of online services continued
to enlarge, and the service level significantly improved. As the data of UN E-
Government Survey 2020 evidenced, the number of countries that provided at least
one online-affair service increased from 140 in 2018 to 162 in 2020, up by 16%.
Simultaneously, various countries constantly optimized the functions of national
portals, which evolved from integrated platform information disclosure to multi-
platform information sharing. Nearly 90% of surveyed countries had e-government
portals, with one-stop services, social-networking platforms and feedback-option
interactive design. Countries played an active role in providing online services for
15 Data Source: UN E-Government Survey 2020 released by the United Nations on July 10, 2020.
1.1 World Internet Development in 2021 7
vulnerable groups such as women, immigrants, the elderly, the disabled and the poor
to strengthen public digital participation.
Governments of various countries and regions voluntarily deepen cooperation
and jointly promote the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now,
“combating the pandemic with digital technology” becomes top priority of digital
management and services of governments. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic
strikes traditional offline governance models and means, and information technology
becomes an important way for governments to prevent and control the pandemic
and provide services. As UN E-Government Survey 2020 demonstrated, by May
13, 2020, c. 97.5% of countries released information on the COVID-19 pandemic
on their official websites.16 In the prevention and control of the pandemic, govern-
ments of various countries consolidated cooperation with non-governmental institu-
tions like private sectors and social organizations. Based on the national integrated
government service platform, Chinese government introduced “Health QR Code”
app, which helped enterprises’ resumption of work and production and raised the
modernization of national governance capacity and governance systems. Meanwhile,
many governments took the initiative in balancing the needs of pandemic prevention
and control and personal-privacy protection, which put spurs to the shift of basic
services of mobile applications to data monitoring based on users’ willingness.
Engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic, global Internet media industry realizes growth
against headwinds by dint of cloud-connection advantages. In 2021, Internet media
technology continued to evolve iteratively, with a prominent trend of diversity
and multi-polarization in communication form and landscape. In the COVID-19
pandemic, mainstream news media served as the most effective and reliable channel
to access information. Media returned to public nature. Media like the European
Broadcasting Union as well as The Washington Post and The New York Times of the
United States cancelled the paid content and provided free pandemic information
services to global audiences. Public opinions and hot topics from global Internet
media diversified. Carbon neutrality, environmental protection and global poverty
alleviation and governance and the pandemic information evoked great attention
among global Internet media and triggered heated discussions from all parties. Social
media performed in an eye-catching way. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter remained
16Data Source: According to the survey of official websites of 193 United Nations member states
conducted in UN E-Government Survey 2020.
8 1 Overview
main public space for American and European citizens to discuss topics in rela-
tion to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the annual report of Facebook suggested,17
by December 2020, the average number of daily active users on Facebook reached
1.84 billion, with an increase of 11% year on year (over 2019). Short videos or
emerging digital media represented by TikTok are well received. In the first quarter
of 2021, TikTok topped the global App download list. The functions of social media
multiply and the transformation of service forms accelerates. Against the back-
drop of the pandemic, audio socializing represented by Clubhouse springs up, and
LinkedIn and other media expand their functions of audio socializing. In the COVID-
19 pandemic, traditional film and television industry was severely mauled, which
meant an opportunity for the development of emerging streaming-media platforms
and further promoted the transformation of traditional film and television industry
to the technology and business model of streaming media. In 2020, Netflix took the
lead in streaming media, whose subscription rose by 37 million and annual busi-
ness revenue totaled 25 billion U.S. dollars, with an increase of 24% year on year.
WarnerMedia, Disney and other film companies all transferred their film works to
their streaming media platforms. Film companies that had not established streaming-
media platforms adopted the dual strategy of delaying the release and selling films
to streaming-media platforms.
In response to problems of capital’s manipulation over media and influence on
citizen values, various countries are strengthening the regulation of Internet media. In
the era of digital news, platform-based media nibble at the audience traffic and adver-
tising revenue of traditional journalism, which intensifies the scramble for traffic,
interests and power between social-media platform and traditional journalism. Faced
with the growing influence of Internet giants like Facebook, Google and Amazon,
the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Australia launch antitrust inves-
tigations and penalties to varying degree to balance the interests pattern. Algorithmic
discrimination and ethical anomie continue to emerge, and various countries tighten
up on legal regulation. According to the data of the U.S. National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL), by April 2021, 16 states in the United States had enacted rele-
vant laws to legally regulate AI technology and algorithm.18 The European Union
released Artificial Intelligence Act to regulate algorithmic discrimination and big
data-enabled price discrimination against existing customers, in order to seek a
balance between the benefits from algorithms and the protection of citizens’ rights
and interests.
17 Facebook Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results, https://investor.fb.com/investor-
news/press-release-details/2021/Facebook-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2020-Results/
default.aspx.
18 Data Source: NCSL, https://www.ncsl.org/research/telecommunications-and-information-tec
hnology/2020-legislation-related-to-artificial-intelligence.aspx.
1.1 World Internet Development in 2021 9
Cybersecurity means a global challenge, and no country can stay aloof from it.
International community must undertake the responsibility of safeguarding cyberse-
curity. In 2021, cybersecurity faced grimmer prospect. Large-scale targeted cyberat-
tacks crept up, with security vulnerability, data leakage, cyber fraud and ransomware
continuously upgraded and developed. SolarWinds Event as well as the blackmail
attack on the U.S. oil pipeline operator had a far-reaching impact. The innovation
on cybersecurity technology made new progress. Global well-known cybersecu-
rity corporations actively groped for cybersecurity-risk prevention capability repre-
sented by cyber resilience technology, data-privacy protection technology repre-
sented by security multi-party computing and new-technology security-risk preven-
tion represented by new AI attacks, so as to effectively address various cyberse-
curity threats. Global cybersecurity industry maintained stable growth. Cyberse-
curity service market occupied main market share, and cloud security became the
fastest-growing niche market in 2021. As relevant data of Gartner, a consulting firm,
predicted, in 2021, global expenditure on information security and risk-management
technology and service would rose to 150.4 billion U.S. dollars, by 12.4%. Venture
capital to cybersecurity industry hit a new record high with an investment of more
than 7.8 billion U.S. dollars19 and great development prospects. Various countries
put more efforts into developing cybersecurity talent teams, improving cybersecu-
rity skill training, and enlarging the demand for cybersecurity skills. Cybersecurity
industry shifted from a certification-based field to a skill-based field, and the gap in
cybersecurity talent presented a narrowing trend for the first time. According to the
research data published by (ISC)2 , or the International Information Systems Security
Certification Consortium, in June 2020, the number of cybersecurity posts rose to
3.5 million, yet the current gap in global cybersecurity talent reached 3.12 million.
Vis-à-vis 4.07 million in 2019, this betokened a decrease in the gap in cybersecurity
talent.
Facing increasingly complex and severe cybersecurity situation, various coun-
tries fortify significant strategic role of cybersecurity in national security, continu-
ally improve the strategic layout of cybersecurity, optimize cybersecurity policies
and strategies, and vigorously enhance supply-chain security, critical-information-
infrastructure protection, data security, personal-information protection and other
fields. The United States, the United Kingdom and other countries stress cybersecu-
rity as strategic priority. The European Union endeavors to build a credible cyberse-
curity system. African countries accelerate the formulation of cyberspace strategic
plans. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia successively
launch relevant policies and measures to progressively realize supply-chain diver-
sification and independent controllable layout, and to promote the establishment
of a more resilient security-protection system for critical information infrastructure.
technological standards) to seek cyber sovereignty and interests, and deepen and opti-
mize legislation on data security to protect national security, commercial interests and
public privacy. In the field of governing network platforms, the network scale effect of
network-platform giants poses a threat to the fairness and sharing of network-market
competition order. Various countries continuously strengthen legislation on antitrust
work and regulate the competition of platform markets. The U.S. House Committee
on the Judiciary approves a number of new antitrust laws, which directly restrict large-
scale technological corporations. The European Union publishes Digital Markets
Act (Draft), which aims to solve the unfair competition among digital platforms
and reinforce the prior supervision of large-scale digital platforms, and requires
platforms to notify the mergers and acquisitions in advance. China timely revises
The Antitrust Law of the People’s Republic of China, formulates antitrust guide-
lines in the field of platform economy, and imposes a fine of 18.228 billion yuan
on Alibaba Group. Various countries fortify the regulation on the accountability of
cyber-platform tort. The U.S. Senate proposes Secure Technology Act, which sets the
boundaries of liability immunity and adds the excluded objects of immunity among
platform enterprises. The European Union publishes Digital Services Act (Draft),
which raises higher requirements for platform enterprises in terms of accountability
standard and system-risk assessment. In the field of emerging-technology regula-
tion, more countries enhance legislative protection of bioinformation, algorithm
governance and blockchain. For example, the United States publishes a privacy
law for biometric information, and the European Union especially establishes a
data-processing evaluation system to protect data via algorithm.
The COVID-19 pandemic undermines global exchanges and cooperation. The game
in cyberspace among major countries and regions becomes more intense. In inter-
national cyberspace governance, the uncertainty and vulnerability snowball, and the
original international division system disintegrates, which test global governance
systems. It is an urgent and practical problem to hasten economic recovery via the
use of digital technology. The debate among various parties on digital economy, data
security, platform governance, technology governance, ICT supply-chain security
and other issues continues to heat up. The game among big powers expands from
the technological and industrial levels to the rules on international governance, with
focus on international digital rules. As platform enterprises play a more leading role,
major countries generally reinforce platform governance. Besides, global digital tax
administration accelerates, and data-governance rule improves. Major countries vie
for discourse power in making rules in the field of digital economy. Developing
12 1 Overview
countries in ASEAN, the Middle East and Africa actively advance digital transfor-
mation, strengthen digital economic cooperation, and develop into an emerging force
in cyberspace.
The trend of fragmentation in cyberspace continues. With unique advantages
in cyberspace, the United States incessantly dominates international policies with
domestic politics. The European Union buttresses strategic autonomy in cyberspace
and bolsters the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the
United States. Moreover, public resources in global cyberspace becomes increas-
ingly scarce and uneven. Against the backdrop of the competition among great
powers, geopolitics breeds new digital divide, which aggravates the imbalance of
world Internet development. China upholds the principles of “Good-Neighborliness
and Friendly Cooperation” in cyberspace, advances the idea of “a community with
a shared future in cyberspace” ideologically and practically, and gradually bene-
fits neighboring countries. In September 2020, China’s Global Initiative on Data
Security20 attracted worldwide attention. The Initiative focused on core issues in the
field of global digital security governance, and aimed to foster the governance of
global digital security and the sustainable development of global digital economy
by practical measures, including clarifying governmental codes of conduct, urging
enterprises to share responsibilities and addressing security risks with multi-party
cooperation.
In 2017, World Internet Development Report established the Global Internet Develop-
ment Index (GIDI) System. GIDI System selects and analyzes 48 representative coun-
tries on the five continents to fully represent the latest world Internet development
in 2021. The 48 representative countries are listed as below:
America: The United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Cuba.
Asia: China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, India, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, The
United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Israel, Kazakhstan, Vietnam,
Pakistan, Iran.
Europe: The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Estonia, Finland,
Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Ukraine,
Poland, Ireland, Belgium.
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand.
Africa: South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia.
20People’s Daily: “China Proposes Global Initiative on Data Security”, September 9, 2020, http://
world.people.com.cn/n1/2020/0909/c1002-31854286.html.
1.2 Internet Development in Representative Countries 13
In the past year, the commercial use of 5G sped up. According to the statistics of
Global System for Mobile communications Association (GSMA), by May 2021,
162 operators in 68 countries and regions had launched one or more 5G commercial
services.21 China has built the largest 5G Standalone (SA) Network in the world and
run 961,000 5G base stations as totaled,22 with the number of 5G terminal connections
reaching 365 million.
Globally, IPv6 deployment rapidly progresses and basic resource capacity contin-
uously improves. The construction of new infrastructure accelerates. Under such
circumstances, the development of IPv6-based next-generation Internet establishes a
solid foundation for the construction of new digital infrastructure like 5G. According
21 Tech.sina.com.cn: “Globally 5G Commercial Network Reaches 162 and 435 Operators Invest in
5G”, May 7, 2021, https://finance.sina.com.cn/tech/2021-05-07/doc-ikmyaawc3871051.shtml.
22 Data Source: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China.
1.2 Internet Development in Representative Countries 19
to the statistics of Cisco (the United States) on global IPv6 deployment, by May
2021, the IPv6 deployment rate was higher than 50% in representative countries and
regions such as the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Germany,
Saudi Arabia, India and Brazil, and lower in African countries such as Ethiopia,
Kenya and Nigeria.23
In representative countries, the construction of information infrastructure further
improves, yet faces a big challenge in obtaining stable and affordable network-
connection services. On the one hand, the construction of data centers quickens. The
COVID-19 pandemic catalyzes the demand for teleworking, streaming-media videos
and online shopping, and drives the growth of data centers and cloud computing
market. As the statistics of Gartner suggest, in 2020, global expenditure on IT dropped
by 5.4% over 2019. In particular, the expenditure on data center systems reached c.
208.3 billion U.S. dollars. On the other hand, digital divide is not a problem to
be sneezed at. According to the statistics of Digital 2021, the number of global
Internet users maintained a momentum for growth (albeit slower), reaching around
4.66 billion, with a penetration rate of 59.5% and an increase of 120 million users
(over 2020). Regionally, the Internet penetration rate in Europe was higher than that
in other countries in the world. Noticeably, the Internet penetration rate in Northern
Europe was the highest in the world, reaching 96%. The Internet penetration rate
was relatively high in East Asia and West Asia and low in Central Asia and South
Asia. In African continent with weak Internet infrastructure, the Internet penetra-
tion rate needs to be raised. The Internet penetration rate was the lowest in Central
Africa (26%), with fast growth.24 With regard to network affordability, according
to the statistics of Global System for Mobile communications Association, charge
burden of mobile network is relatively light in countries like Japan, Singapore, the
In the COVID-19 pandemic, digital economy boasts the rarely-seen field that grows
against headwinds. Particularly, the scale of ICT service export in China, Argentina,
India, Finland, Israel and Ireland accounts for high proportion of the scale of domestic
service export. The scale of ICT product export in Mexico, China, Malaysia, Singa-
pore and Vietnam ditto. The United States, China, India and the United Kingdom
hold a safe lead in the number of unicorns in digital industry.
Hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic, offline businesses typified by tradi-
tional manufacturing and service industries transfer to online businesses in a fast
way, which expedites industrial digitization. Significantly, the digitization of manu-
facturing industry deepens. According to the statistics of World Economic Forum,
the United States, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Finland,
Switzerland and Israel remain on top in corporate digital transformation.
Table 1.5 shows the scores of Internet Industrial Development Index in 48
countries.
In the COVID-19 pandemic, online services widely prevail and person-level Internet
application further improves. According to the statistics of Digital 2021, by June
2021, 3.96 billion people in the world used social media, accounting for 51% of
the total population, with a year-on-year increase of 10%.27 The demand for online
education surges, and traditional schools try the use of online courses to promote
educational plans. Business-level Internet application develops fast. Particularly, the
technological application of digital payment and e-commerce remarkably increase,
and new retail models like livestream e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce
thrive. According to the Network Readiness Index 2020,28 a report released by Portu-
lans Institute, the United States, China, South Korea, Estonia, Finland, Israel and
Sweden rank top in business-level application of digital technologies. In government-
level Internet application, in October 2020, Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) published Digital Government Index, which measured the
digital level, efficiency and transparency of governmental departments in 33 coun-
tries. As suggested, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Japan take the
lead, whilst Argentina, Finland, Germany, Belgium and Chile lag behind.29
In the COVID-19 pandemic, new business forms like telemedicine, teleworking
and online education continue to emerge. Chinese medical teams use remote diag-
nosis and treatment to cure patients with the COVID-19. Many hospitals offer
virtual consultation services. Alihealth, JD.com, Tencent’s WeChat, WeDoctor, DXY,
Sina Weibo and www.haodf.com commonly operate online consultation platforms.
Argentina introduces Entre Todos, a collaboration portal, which provides infor-
mation, suggestions and tools for teleworking and finances small, medium and
micro enterprises that use teleworking. All Finnish schools adopt online teaching,
and students can complete manual courses with 3D modeling. New Internet-based
businesses and models drive economic growth in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Table 1.6 shows the scores of Internet Application Index in 48 countries.
28Data Source: The Network Readiness Index 2020 published by Portulans Institute.
29Data Source: Digital Government Index published by Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD).
26 1 Overview
30Official website of IDC: “IDC Releases the Latest Version of Worldwide Security Spending Guide,
and China Takes the Lead in the World with a High Growth Rate of 16.8%”, March 9, 2021, https://
www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prCHC47519821.
28 1 Overview
The United States has been leading the innovation and development of world Internet.
In “The Scores of World Internet Development Index”, the United States still ranks the
1st in the world. Concretely, it ranks the 4th in the score of information infrastructure
index, and the 1st in the scores of innovation capacity index, industrial development
index, Internet application index, cybersecurity index and cyberspace governance
index. Figure 1.1 shows the scores of Internet Development Index of the United
States.
The United States continuously consolidates the construction of Internet infras-
tructure. In 2020, in order to advance the R&D of domestic 5G technology and
promote 5G technology at home and abroad, the United States successively released
National Strategy To Secure 5G, Promoting United States International Leadership in
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schools. … The only important amendment to this Act was passed
in 1875, and provided that the legislative grant, instead of
being divided between the Protestant and Catholic schools as
heretofore, should in future be distributed in proportion to
the number of children of school age in the Catholic and
Protestant districts. Already immigration had begun to upset
the balance of numbers and power, and as the years went on it
became evident that the Catholics were destined to be in a
permanent minority in Manitoba. This trend of immigration,
which in 1875 made legislation necessary, has continued ever
since; and to-day the Catholics of the province number only
20,000 out of a total population of 204,000. No further change
was made in the educational system of Manitoba until the
memorable year of 1890. In that year the provincial
legislature boldly broke all moorings with the past, and,
abolishing the separate denominational schools, introduced a
system of free compulsory and unsectarian schools, for the
support of which the whole community was to be taxed. … To
test the legality of the change, what is known as Barrett's
case was begun in Winnipeg. It was carried to the Supreme
Court of Canada, and the Canadian judges by a unanimous
decision declared that the Act of 1890 was ultra vires and
void.
{60}
The city of Winnipeg appealed to the Privy Council, and that
tribunal in July 1892 reversed the decision of the Canadian
Court and affirmed that the Act was valid and binding. … The
second subsection of the 22nd section of the Manitoba Act
already quoted says: 'An appeal shall lie to the
Governor-General in Council from any Act or decision of the
legislature of the province, or of any provincial authority,
affecting any right or privilege of the Protestant or Roman
Catholic minority of the Queen's subjects in relation to
education.' But if the legislation of 1890 was intra vires,
and expressly declared to be so on the ground that it had not
prejudicially affected the position which the minority held at
the time of the Union, how could there be an appeal from it? …
The Governor-General, however, consented to refer the question
as to his jurisdiction to the courts of justice. What is known
as Brophy's case was begun, and in due course was carried to
the Supreme Court of Canada. The decision of that tribunal,
though not unanimous, was in accord with public expectation.
The majority of the judges felt that the previous judgment of
the Privy Council had settled the matter beforehand. The Act
of 1890 had been declared intra vires on the ground that it
had not interfered with the rights which the minority
possessed before the Union, and therefore there could be no
appeal from it. …
{61}
"When the Liberal party for the first time for eighteen years
found itself in power at Ottawa, Mr. Laurier at once opened
negotiations with Manitoba. The result was a settlement which,
although it might work well in particular districts, could not be
accepted as satisfactory by the Catholic authorities. It arranged
that where in towns and cities the average attendance of
Catholic children was forty or upwards, and in villages and
rural districts the average attendance of such children was
twenty-five or upwards, one Catholic teacher should be
employed. There were various other provisions, but that was
the central concession. … Leo the Thirteenth, recognising the
difficulties which beset Mr. Laurier's path, mindful, perhaps,
also that it is not always easy immediately to resume friendly
conference with those who have just done their best to defeat
you, has sent to Canada an Apostolic Commissioner."
J. G. Snead Cox,
Mr. Laurier and Manitoba
(Nineteenth Century, April, 1897).
CANADA: A. D. 1895.
Northern territories formed into provisional districts.
CANADA: A. D. 1895.
Negotiations with Newfoundland.
CANADA: A. D. 1896-1897.
Policy of the Liberal Government.
Revision of the tariff, with discriminating duties
in favor of Great Britain, and provisions for reciprocity.
"When the Minister of Finance laid the tariff before the House
of Commons, he declared that the 'National Policy,' as it had
been tried for eighteen years, was a failure; and … claimed
that lowering the tariff wall against England was a step in
the direction of a tariff 'based not upon the protective
system but upon the requirements of the public service.'
During the first fifteen months of the new tariff, the
concession to England consists of a reduction by one-eighth of
the duties chargeable under the general list. At the end of
that time, that is on the last of July, 1898, the reduction
will be one-fourth. The reductions do not apply to wines, malt
liquors, spirits and tobacco, the taxes on which are
essentially for revenue. While England was admitted at once to
the advantages of the reduced tariff, this tariff is not to be
applicable to England alone. In July, it was extended to the
products of New South Wales, the free-trade colony of the
British Australasian group; and any country can come within
its provisions whose government can satisfy the Comptroller of
Customs at Ottawa, that it is offering favourable treatment to
Canadian exports, and is affording them as easy an entrance
through its customs houses as the Canadians give by means of
the reciprocal tariff. It is also possible, under a later
amendment to the Tariff Act, for the Governor in Council to
extend the benefits of the reciprocal tariff to any country
entitled thereto by virtue of a treaty with Great Britain.
{62}
Numerous alterations were made in the general list of import
duties. Some of these involved higher rates; others lowered
the duties. But if the changes in the fiscal system had been
confined to these variations, the new tariff would not have
been noteworthy, and it would have fulfilled few of the
pledges made by the Liberals when they were in Opposition. It
owes its chief importance to the establishment of an inner
tariff in the interests of countries which deal favourably
with Canada."
E. Porritt,
The New Administration in Canada
(Yale Review, August, 1897).
CANADA: A. D. 1898-1899.
The Joint High Commission for settlement of all unsettled
questions between Canada and the United States.
CANADA: A. D. 1899-1900.
Troops to reinforce the British army in South Africa.
Nova Scotia. 15 5
0 20
New-Brunswick. 9 5
0 14
Prince Edward Island. 3 2
0 5
Quebec. 57 8
0 65
Ontario. 33 54
5 92
Manitoba. 2 3
2 7
Northwest Territories. 2 0
2 4
British Columbia. 3 2
1 6
Totals. 124 79
10 213