Li Qiang to Keynote 5th Global Digital Trade Expo

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the launch ceremony of the 5th Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE) and deliver a speech, Xinhua News reported on Monday.

The announcement was made in Beijing by Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong, who said the event will run from September 23 to 27, 2026, in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province.

The Premier’s decision to appear in person elevates the expo into a top-tier national platform, signaling the weight Beijing attaches to digital trade as an engine of economic growth and as a venue for international commercial cooperation.

A Jointly Hosted National Exhibition

The Global Digital Trade Expo is staged jointly by the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government and the Ministry of Commerce, and the expo’s own news center carried the same announcement, attributing it to the Ministry of Commerce news office. Its return to Hangzhou — one of the country’s principal technology and e-commerce hubs — reflects the city’s central role in China’s digital economy.

The 2026 edition is the fifth in the series.

What to Watch

Li Qiang’s keynote will be closely watched for signals on how far China intends to open its digital economy to foreign participation and how it plans to advance digital trade cooperation with international partners.

The presence of a sitting Premier at the launch ceremony underlines the political priority assigned to the sector. How those ambitions translate into concrete agreements over the five-day program — and whether they strengthen China’s position in shaping global digital-trade rules — will determine the expo’s wider significance.

The 5th Global Digital Trade Expo opens September 23 and runs through September 27 in Hangzhou.