In today's wave of digitization, digital economy industry associations act as wise helmsmen, guiding the digital industry through the rough seas. As a bridge between the government and the market, digital economy industry associations play an indispensable role in promoting the development of the digital economy industry. They are not only a hub of information but also a catalyst for innovation, injecting continuous momentum into the prosperity and progress of the industry.

To further advance Jiangxi's Digital Economy as its "No. 1 Development Project" and vigorously promote its booming digital economy, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association was officially established in September 2022. As a provincial, non-profit social organization under the Jiangxi Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce with legal personality, it plays a crucial role in policy guidance, resource integration, innovation promotion, and service guarantee. It has facilitated a shift in mindset among Jiangxi's digital economy entrepreneurs from "going it alone" to "win-win cooperation," contributing positively to the prosperity of Jiangxi's digital economy industry.

In the present context, new-type productivity has emerged as the contemporary advanced productivity, with innovation at its core. This necessitates the continuous integration of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, the metaverse, and the Internet of Things to drive intelligent and automated production methods. Undoubtedly, new-type productivity represents a more integrated and innovative force in the digital era. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association plays a vital role in promoting the development of new-type productivity, providing robust support for the healthy development of the digital economy industry.

Share knowledge, collaborate, and enhance digital economy cohesion

It is well-known that the digital economy is becoming a pivotal force in restructuring global resource elements, reshaping the global economic structure, and altering the global competitive landscape. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association is meticulously weaving a vast network covering the industry to propel the rapid development of the digital economy and fuel the swift growth of Jiangxi's digital enterprises.

This network captures the latest policy dynamics, market trends, and technological advancements, sharing this information with each member enterprise. Through visits, demand pools, member point systems, and other means, the association actively engages and communicates with member enterprises, bringing together government, businesses, research institutions, and other stakeholders to share the latest technologies, market trends, and policy information. This fosters collaboration on project implementation, providing member enterprises with a competitive edge.

In recent years, Jiangxi has seized the opportunity presented by the development of the digital economy, leveraging industrial tracks, application scenarios, and cluster development as entry points to drive progress across the board. From the digital upgrade of traditional industrial enterprises to the vigorous development of strategic emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, big data, the metaverse, micro-short dramas, and livestreaming by influencers, Jiangxi has achieved remarkable results, demonstrating initial success in its digital economic transformation.

To develop the digital economy, the key lies in integrating physical enterprises with new technologies. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association plays a significant role in resource integration. By establishing exchange platforms, connecting channels, and integrating resources, the association provides a range of services to Jiangxi's digital economy enterprises, including digital transformation, business expansion, government-enterprise collaboration, bank-enterprise cooperation, learning and training, corporate promotion, and philanthropy. This promotes deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application, facilitates effective connections among knowledge, technology, talent, and capital, and actively guides members to uphold the Jiangxi merchant spirit of "integrity, diligence, and pursuing both righteousness and benefit." The association explores new opportunities and models in the digital economy, enabling digital economy enterprises to gain insights into industry trends and seize developmental opportunities from a higher vantage point.

Furthermore, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association actively promotes member enterprises' participation in Jiangxi's "Ten Thousand Enterprises Revitalizing Ten Thousand Villages" initiative during rural revitalization efforts. By closely aligning with members' actual situations, the association launches assistance projects such as industrial and consumption support and talent development. This fosters closer ties among member enterprises and diversifies the association's development.

In the opinion of Jianghu Lao Liu (a pseudonym for a well-known internet analyst and commentator on the digital economy and cultural tourism industry), the digital economy has continuously empowered and enhanced the high-quality development of the real economy in recent years. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association has established a platform for shared knowledge, collaboration, and cooperation among member enterprises, facilitating collaborative projects and their implementation. By hosting and participating in various rural revitalization and industry summit events, the association fosters mutual understanding among members, laying the groundwork for Jiangxi's digital economy development and playing a vital role in empowering its transformation of the real economy.

Promote industrial upgrading and support the rise of 'Made in Jiangxi'

With the in-depth implementation of the Digital China and Cyber Power strategies, China's digital economy has developed comprehensively and rapidly. According to data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, China's digital economy is expected to reach a scale of 56.1 trillion yuan in 2023, with a year-on-year growth rate of approximately 11.75%. The digital economy's share of GDP is approaching that of the secondary industry, accounting for over 40% of the national economy.

Jiangxi is vigorously implementing a cultural digitization strategy, building on its digital foundation. According to the "2023 White Paper on the Development of Jiangxi's Digital Economy," the added value of Jiangxi's digital economy reached 1.1874 trillion yuan in 2022, with a year-on-year growth rate of 14.4%, 4.1 percentage points higher than the national average and accounting for 37% of GDP. Jiangxi's rapid development of the digital economy has demonstrated a promising momentum.

Behind these figures lies the fact that the digital economy is highly empowering various industries. From cost reduction and efficiency enhancement through digitization to further cost savings and benefit gains through data utilization, the digital economy is rapidly emerging as a new engine for high-quality development. However, facing challenges such as low levels of industrial digitization and mismatched management systems, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association has responded positively to the call of the Jiangxi Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce, organizing 21 "Face-to-Face Exploration, Heart-to-Heart Coexistence" digital economy theme salon events in 11 cities across Jiangxi. These events covered 528 digital enterprises and were featured over 30 times in mainstream media outlets such as Dajiang News and Information Daily.

As is well known, technological innovation is the core driving force behind the development of the digital economy industry. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association serves as a significant facilitator of this force. By organizing technology seminars, the association stimulates enterprises' innovative vitality and promotes the research, development, and application of new technologies, products, and services. On July 17, the association participated in the launch ceremony of the Jiangxi regional competition of the 2024 "Data Factor ×" Contest. This event empowered the digital economy by showcasing innovative achievements and discussing technical challenges, accelerating the transformation of technological innovations into practical productivity.

The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association continuously promotes the integration of the digital and real economies and the digital upgrade of industries. In collaboration with Jiangxi Honggong High-Tech Co., Ltd., it organized training sessions to enhance enterprises' digital skills, empowering their development in the digital economy. Additionally, it collaborated with the Puxian Neighborhood Center in Weidong Street, Honggutan District, Nanchang, to conduct AI application training activities, promoting digital applications at the grassroots level.

In the view of Jianghu Lao Liu, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association has opened doors to the world for enterprises by organizing study tours and participating in industry conferences. These activities not only help enterprises stay abreast of the latest international and domestic market trends but also provide opportunities for exchanges and collaborations with peers, delivering first-hand information to member enterprises. By promoting the digital industrial upgrade of Jiangxi enterprises and injecting momentum into the development of Jiangxi's digital economy, the association has significantly enhanced the overall competitiveness and added value of the digital industry, fueling the rise of 'Made in Jiangxi.'

Cultivate new-type productivity and activate industrial innovation

In the face of the profound impact of the digital wave, Jiangxi has profoundly recognized the importance and urgency of accelerating the development of the digital economy. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt a far-sighted and scientific approach to clarify the blueprint for the development of Digital Jiangxi. This includes strengthening digital infrastructure, enhancing information and communication network coverage and quality, promoting the aggregation and sharing of data resources, constructing a secure and efficient data factor market, and deepening the integration of digital technology and the real economy to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and the vigorous development of emerging industries.

Cultivating new-type productivity is the core of building Digital Jiangxi. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association encourages member enterprises to increase R&D investment and cultivate core competitiveness. It also organizes various innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, legal education classes, and training activities to guide member enterprises in complying with market order and fair competition principles, thereby enhancing the industry's innovation capability and level.

Talent cultivation is the cornerstone of the digital economy's development. Regarding talent development for new-type productivity, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association actively assists member enterprises in broadening talent recruitment channels. It has signed strategic cooperation agreements on digital talent cultivation with the School of Continuing Education at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics and its Qingshan Campus, jointly formulating and implementing a comprehensive digital talent cultivation plan integrating research, training, and application. This plan covers digital talent training, including a digital capability research center, executive training programs, and specialized skills plus certification (digital technology engineers, intelligent manufacturing, cloud computing, virtual and augmented reality), aiming to cultivate digital talents suited to Jiangxi's actual needs.

While the digital economy talent cultivation system continues to improve, and the application market keeps expanding, challenges such as escalating payments for micro-short dramas, frequent money laundering through virtual assets, shortchanging in online shopping, piracy and infringement in online games, and fraudulent and non-compliant livestream sales persist. These issues hinder many digital economy enterprises' digital transformation journeys. Some digital economy enterprises even seek loopholes for personal gain, skirting the law. Recognizing that the root cause of these issues lies in inadequate policies, regulations, and industry standards, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association focuses on party building work, organizes legal policy studies among its members, and actively engages with relevant departments to formulate industry standards. This not only constrains members' borderline behaviors but also maintains market order, fosters a fair competition environment, and promotes healthy industry development.

Under the guidance of the association, new growth points for Jiangxi's digital economy continue to emerge, injecting robust momentum into economic transformation and upgrading. Jiangxi is striving to integrate into the reform of the national unified market system and mechanism, focusing on addressing bottlenecks hindering the development of new-type productivity. When digital economy enterprises encounter difficulties, the Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association promptly steps forward, providing member enterprises with resource connections, legal consultations, rights protection services, and practical solutions to ensure they can focus on development. The association not only maintains good order within the industry but also enhances external trust and respect for Jiangxi's digital economy industry.

In the opinion of Jianghu Lao Liu, cultivating new-type productivity and building Digital Jiangxi is a long-term and arduous task. The Jiangxi Provincial Digital Economy Enterprise Association plays a vital role in activating the potential of data elements, promoting industry-education integration and school-enterprise collaboration, and fostering the vigorous development of the digital economy. Jiangxi's transition from digitization to the digital economy and from manufacturing to smart manufacturing represents the driving force behind its future economic growth. The association contributes to guiding member enterprises in accelerating their digital and intelligent transformation, exploring innovative, symbiotic, and win-win scenarios in the digital economy, stimulating industrial innovation, building a "six-have" social organization, developing new-type productivity, constructing Digital Jiangxi, and advancing high-quality economic development.

Jianghu Lao Liu, a well-known internet analyst and commentator on the digital economy and cultural tourism industry, conveys positive energy and disseminates good voices.