A New Era of Internet: Leveraging the "China Model" to Bridge Digital Divide in Global South

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of China’s full access to the global internet and the 10th anniversary of the country’s cyber development strategy. As part of the Interview Series titled “A New Era of Internet”, we spoke with Kilnam Chon, “Father of internet in South Korea” and honorary professor of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

Chon highlights China’s achievements in building digital infrastructure and increasing internet penetration as a replicable “China Model” for countries of the Global South.

As of June 2024, China’s internet penetration rate reached 78.0%, with rural areas at 66.5%. Chon believes the efforts to narrow regional and urban-rural digital divides have been highly effective, and that China can play a greater role in bridging the digital gap among nations of the Global South

Chon hails China’s proactive role in this process, citing initiatives like the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen and the Asia-Pacific Advanced Network as platforms for advancing global internet governance and technical exchanges.

Looking ahead, Chon envisions that China will step up efforts to close the global digital divide, foster broader and deeper international cooperation, and enable more developing countries to benefit from China’s digital experience and successes.