The World Internet Conference Specialized Committee on E-Commerce held its chairpersons' meeting in Beijing on Dec 29 to discuss and review its draft work plan for 2026.

The meeting was held both online and on-site. It was chaired by Wang Jinzhen, chief chair of the WIC Specialized Committee on E-Commerce and former vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

The gathering noted that in the context of the accelerating integration of the global digital economy, e-commerce had become a significant driver of trade, industrial upgrading and consumption growth. 

Participants pointed out that the committee should further leverage its role as a platform to promote dialogue and collaboration between the e-commerce industry and academia, with a focus on industry development trends and the application of technological innovation.

The meeting also held in-depth discussions on ways to support governments in Global South countries in improving their e-commerce business environment. 

Additionally, participants explored approaches to helping small and medium-sized enterprises enhance their international competitiveness in e-commerce and better integrate into the global digital trade ecosystem. 

To this end, the committee discussed initiatives including the establishment of dialogue platforms, case-sharing mechanisms and rules research.

In his concluding remarks, Wang stressed that the committee would continue to rely on the international platform provided by the WIC to promote the development of an open, fair, inclusive and sustainable global e-commerce ecosystem. 

He added that the committee would incorporate the views expressed at the meeting to refine its annual work plan, ensuring the successful implementation of activities and research outcomes for 2026.

The WIC Specialized Committee on E-Commerce was established at the 2025 WIC Wuzhen Summit. It aims to bring together leading universities, think tanks, industry associations, as well as leading and emerging enterprises in the global e-commerce sector, to jointly assess industry trends and contribute to the healthy development of global e-commerce.