Technology training initiative vital for growth of the digital economy

Out in the desert near Karamay in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where oil derricks have long punctuated the skyline, another kind of resource is quietly taking root. It is not crude oil that now flows from this rugged land, but data, knowledge and a growing web of human connections that stretch from Central Asia to the shores of the Indian Ocean.

The catalyst is the "Tree of SCO" — a digital technology training initiative incubated under the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Big Data Cooperation Center.

Launched in May 2023, the program has, in just three years, hosted training sessions for more than 1,000 participants from SCO member states such as Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The participants include government officials, research experts and corporate leaders.

They are not visitors who come just to listen and take photos. The curriculum is deliberately hands-on. Trainees do not sit through passive lectures; they enter industrial parks, walk into enterprise data centers, deploy cloud desktops, configure cloud hosts and engage in real-time cybersecurity attack-and-defense drills.

The course content focuses on frontier fields such as computing power networks, artificial intelligence, HarmonyOS applications and the low-altitude economy. Half of the instructors come from top universities; the other half are technical experts from leading companies like Huawei — ensuring that what is taught is as grounded in real-world practice as it is in theory, according to organizers of the training sessions.

Over the past three years, Symbat Ramazanov, an entrepreneur and adviser on international cooperation to the regional government of East Kazakhstan, has made 10 visits to Karamay. These included organizing delegations from his region to attend the program, during which participants discussed efficient practices and took excursions to relevant organizations and enterprises.

"China has demonstrated significant advantages in digital transformation. Technology companies in my region have signed a series of memorandums of understanding with Chinese peer firms in fields including healthcare, education and tourism. Collaboration with China has yielded tangible projects that are executed swiftly, and innovations are effectively and flexibly prepared for introduction," he said.

Wang Zhiqin, vice-president of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, said, "Digital talent training is a vital component of SCO digital economy cooperation. Strengthening such training not only aligns with the SCO theme but also solidifies the human foundation for deeper regional technology integration and digital development."

T.R. Midhun, SCO deputy secretary-general, said digital cooperation within the organization has entered a critical phase that demands substantial breakthroughs. He called for more emphasis on converting ideas into tangible results.

At the heart of this strategy is clear government support. Xiong Jijun, China's vice-minister of industry and information technology, said China is committed to building an open, inclusive and shared global digital ecosystem through international cooperation with SCO members.

"Relying on the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Big Data Cooperation Center, we will continue to train digital technology talent for SCO countries, facilitate digital transformation through mutual learning and build a bridge for win-win cooperation in the digital domain," he said.

Now, the Tree of SCO is no longer a solitary plant. Plans for the next phase include a 2.0 version in the Yangtze River Delta region, alongside new tracks in academic degree programs, vocational certification and cross-border "training-on-demand" services, officials said.

Contact the writers at masi@chinadaily.com.cn