-- At two events held in China's Chongqing this week, the digital economy has taken center stage and opened up new possibilities for international cooperation as it is becoming ubiquitous in modern life.

-- The scale of China's digital economy hit 39.2 trillion yuan in 2020, accounting for 38.6 percent of the country's GDP.

-- While evolving into a new driver powering economic growth, the digital economy has helped many countries deepen international cooperation in more fields.

From big data, cloud computing and the Internet of Things to blockchain, 5G and artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy is the talk of the town in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

At the Smart China Expo 2021 and the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on the Digital Economy Industry, both held in Chongqing this week, the digital economy has taken center stage and opened up new possibilities for international cooperation as it is becoming ubiquitous in modern life.

Guests from all SCO countries and relevant SCO bodies attended the forum online or offline, and more than 610 companies from 31 countries and regions, including Huawei, iFLYTEK, Alibaba and Intel, participated in the expo through online or offline exhibitions.

A total of 92 projects worth a total of 250 billion yuan (about 38.62 billion U.S. dollars) were signed at the expo on Monday, demonstrating the vitality of the digital economy.

A correspondent views a 3D display product at the Smart China Expo 2021 in Chongqing, southwest China, Aug. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

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The three-day expo, which concluded on Wednesday, saw the display of a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and applications, including a cloud-computing processor the size of a business card, an AI machine that can grade homework and tests, and smart home technologies that allow users to voice-control heaters and floor-cleaning robots through WeChat.

A capsule robot capable of performing gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures through automated navigation caught the attention of many visitors.

With the help of AI, the capsule robot developed by Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. can navigate its way around the stomach along pre-planned routes and perform medical examinations in a painless and non-intrusive way, according to expo staffer Liu Siyu.

"We see great roles that smart technology plays in various sectors whether it is AI, education, health, climate change, and agriculture, etc., in the past two years when the world has been under COVID-19," British Trade Commissioner for China John Edwards said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Nearly 50 British companies exhibited in the expo's UK Pavilion, joining the "UK Now" Roadshow and the Digital Transformation in Manufacturing Forum to share expertise, exchange ideas and forge partnerships.