亚信科技

In 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of China's full-functional access to the international internet that has had a profound impact on people's way of life and production, driving social transformation. The “China Cyberspace” magazine, under the supervision of the Office of Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and Cyberspace Administration of China, invited Dr. Tian Suning, co-founder and chairman of AsiaInfo, to publish a signed article reviewing the magnificent 30 years.

 Please find below the signed article by Tian Suning.

 Figure: Dr. Tian Suning, Co-founder and Chairman of AsiaInfo

As a “veteran” of the internet industry, I have witnessed the evolution of China's internet from my infancy to the current state. My career and personal values have been shaped by this development, and I believe it will continue to play an integral role in my future endeavors.

In 1993, the United States proposed the “National Information Infrastructure (NII)” plan. At the time, I was pursuing my doctoral degree in the United States, where I gained a deep understanding of the importance of this initiative to national development. In light of this, I published an article in Guangming Daily titled “The US 'National Information Infrastructure' Plan and Its Implications for China's Modernization”. On April 20, 1994, China achieved full-functional access to the international internet, which subsequently led to a surge in interest in the internet in China. The AsiaInfo company that I co-founded was involved in the construction of nearly a hundred network projects, including ChinaNET, Shanghai Online, China Financial Backbone Network, and Guangdong 163 Network (ade8).

In retrospect, the growth of China's internet industry was driven by a combination of visionary technology pioneers, forward-thinking government officials, and passionate internet entrepreneurs. Their pivotal decisions at critical junctures have shaped the remarkable achievements of China's telecommunications and internet industries today.

Moment One: Embracing the Open TCP/IP Network Path

In August 1997, the China Post delegation participated in the I-NET conference in Hawaii, USA. I was responsible for the reception work alongside my colleague Ding Jian. Upon learning that the planned China-mail system was considering the use of X.25, a close network operated by service providers, we repeatedly emphasized the importance of an open network to the China Post delegation. During the Hawaii conference, the organizers provided the China Post delegation with detailed demonstrations of internet technology, which led to the delegation's recognition of the TCP/IP network. It can be reasonably assumed that had China not selected the open TCP/IP network in 1997, the golden era of mobile internet may not have materialized.

Moment Two: Prioritizing the 163 Network Segment

In 1997, there was a debate in the Chinese internet community regarding the security implications of developing an intranet route, namely the 169 network segment, creating a vast intranet in China. However, both I and Ding Jian were of the opinion that limiting the approach to internal networks would prevent China from connecting to the global internet.

I still remember participating in a discussion meeting where I presented Bill Gates' recently published “The Road Ahead”, which clearly described the internet as the true path to the future and emphasized that China must embark on this journey.

Following several rounds of in-depth discussions, China opted to prioritize the 163 network segment while developing the 169 as a supplementary component.

Moment Three: Domestic Basic Networks Focusing on IP, Laying the Foundation for Mobile Internet Development

In 2010, Hou Ziqiang, a researcher from the Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, proposed that China's basic network architecture should be primarily IP-based. Previously, our IP networks were operated on the application layer of service providers' networks, resulting in significantly reduced network efficiency. Hou Ziqiang proposed that IP networks should be constructed directly on the optical communication transmission layer. Looking back now, it is evident that IP networks have become the infrastructure for global backbone networks, including mobile networks.

The aforementioned experiences are based on my personal observations. Over the course of China's impressive 30-year internet development journey, there have been numerous other noteworthy achievements. A review of these pivotal moments reveals that an open, innovative, and collaborative spirit has consistently served as the foundation for China's internet growth and prosperity. China's internet has achieved remarkable success due to its unique ability to adapt to local contexts while embracing global trends. I am confident that these values will remain consistent as Chinese science and technology continue to evolve.

Nowadays, China's internet development is entering a new phase. The internet has evolved from a tool for connecting people to a platform for connecting everything, and from consumer internet to industrial internet. In the future, with the support of artificial intelligence, the internet will transform into a network system with sensing capabilities, moving towards deeply reshaping the operational models of enterprises and society at large. The Central Committee of CPC has proposed developing new types of productivity characterized by high technology, high efficiency, and high quality. The internet industry is a typical representative of such new productivity that can not only empower thousands of customers in all industries but also drive improvements in total factor productivity across a range of industries. Consequently, the internet industry will play an increasingly pivotal role in China's pursuit of high-quality development.

We are a fortunate generation, fully enjoying the rich fruits brought by the development of the internet. Going forward, we will continue to embrace the spirit of openness and innovation that has defined the internet. We will remain committed to exploration, continuous improvement, and a willingness to face challenges head-on, so that the benefits of internet development can reach as many people as possible.