BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A global alliance of over 40 cities was launched in Beijing on Wednesday as part of efforts to enhance multilateral cooperation on the digital economy.

The Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance was initiated by Beijing -- alongside partner cities in Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America -- during the Global Digital Economy Conference 2025, which opened on the same day.

The alliance aims to institutionalize multilateral collaboration beyond bilateral projects, focusing on key issues such as digital infrastructure, cross-border data governance, AI ethics and smart city applications.

The move follows the launch of Beijing's Global Digital Economy Partner City Cooperation Initiative in 2023, and its joint efforts with partner cities to adopt six action plans to implement the initiative in 2024. The alliance was established this year with support from international bodies including the UN Institute for Training and Research, the International Telecommunication Union and the International Trade Centre.

Organized by the Beijing municipal government, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Data Administration, Xinhua News Agency and the United Nations Development Programme, this year's conference will run through July 5 and feature an opening ceremony, six main forums and multiple thematic sessions, with over 1,000 participants in attendance.