Chinese Vice-Premier Ma Kai has confirmed China's stance on calling for a global effort to jointly make software regulations and standards, as well as build a global safety system, in order to promote a healthy development of the industry.

Ma, who made these comments at the 21st China International Software Exposition in Beijing on Thursday, said the software would play a significant role in boosting the global economy, as well as empowering the progress of human civilization, and global cooperation would also drive its further development.

"The software is at the heart and the soul of information network," he said.

"As the global software industry is entering a period of rapid growth, society should work together to sort out software solutions，helping to upgrade the traditional industries and foster the emerging industries."

Last year, revenue from software reached 4.9 trillion yuan ($723 billion) in China, with a 14.9 percent year-on-year increase, revealed by government figures.

According to Ma, China's software industry should focus on innovation, making breakthroughs in the applications in the future.

"The emerging big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence offer new opportunities for software industry's further development," he said.

"We need to attract more global talents to participate in the researches, and ensure information security and introduce more supportive policies accordingly."

Mei Hong, an academician of Chinese Academy of?Sciences, said as software technology became the key competence in the next new round of industrial revolution, it would bring profound changes to society.

"We are entering a new era closely related to software – everything can be connected and coded, which also presents new challenges," he said.

"I would suggest the software technologies to be applied to every industry and field."

Hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and People's Government of Beijing City, the 21st China International Software Exposition will last from Thursday to Saturday.