Ma Huateng: Tech to boost China's reform, opening-up

Technological innovation is expected to further spur China's reform and opening-up, said Ma Huateng, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), on Monday.

"China's economy has achieved high-quality growth and the country's internet and technology development has gained momentum thanks to reform and opening-up," Ma, who also chairs internet giant Tencent, said ahead of the opening meeting of the first session of the 13th NPC.

According to Ma, the number of global monthly active users of WeChat, a ubiquitous messaging app developed by Tencent, has just exceeded 1 billion for the first time.

"As an important window of reform and opening-up, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is also expected to play a more important role in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative," he added.

Ma noted that China's Internet Plus strategy is an "approach" while the digital economy is the "result", both of which serve the goal of building the country into a "Digital China" and an internet power.