On September 27th, at the sub-forum "International Rules in Cyberspace: Practice and Exploration" of the World Internet Conference 2021, the document "Cyber Sovereignty: Theory and Practice" (Version 3.0) led by our school was successfully released. More than 50 experts and scholars from UNODC, ITU and other international organizations, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Peru, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hong Kong, and other countries & regions participated in the forum and gave lectures on "Cyber Sovereignty and the Application of International Law", "Security and Development in Global Digitalization", and "new issues and challenges of international governance in cyberspace in the post-pandemic era".                                             

Huang Zhixiong, vice dean of our school, executive director of the Institute of Network Governance, and professor of Wuhan University Academy of International Law and Global Governance, as the lead expert of the outcome document, introduced the background of the initiation, main contents and future vision of the document. The document was jointly initiated by Wuhan University, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Fudan University, Beihang University, National Institute for Global Strategy of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, and University of International Business and Economics. International experts such as Nicholas Chagorias of the University of Sheffield, and Zhao Yun of the University of Hong Kong were also deeply involved in drafting the document. The document actively echoes the position that the principle of sovereign equality established by the UN Charter, clearly defines and systematically elaborates the concept of cyber sovereignty, the specific principles applied and the relevant practices of countries, it also enriches the embodiment and practice process of cyber sovereignty, increases the attributes of international law and related concepts of cyber sovereignty. The paper calls on the international community to work together under the framework of the United Nations, uphold the principles of equal consultation, seeking common ground while reserving differences, jointly build a community of destiny in cyberspace on the basis of safeguarding national cyber sovereignty.

The World Internet Conference 2021, themed "Towards a New Era of Digital Civilization - Building a Community in Cyberspace", was successfully held in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province from September 26 to 28. President Xi Jinping emphasized in his congratulatory letter that China is willing to work with all countries in the world to take up the historical responsibility of making progress for humanity, to stimulate the vitality of the digital economy, to enhance the effectiveness of digital government, to optimize the digital social environment, to build a digital cooperation pattern, to build a digital security barrier, to make digital civilization benefit all people, and to promote the building of a community. The document of "Cyber Sovereignty: Theory and Practice" was first released at the 6th World Internet Conference in 2019, and both Version 1.0 and Version 2.0 have gained wide attention in the field of Internet governance at home and abroad. The success of this forum further expanded our school's influence in the fields related to cyberspace governance.

Edited by Wang Yuting & Wu Liuqing