Safety precautions must keep up with the rapid development and frequent updates of novel internet technology to safeguard cybersecurity for the public, said a senior official from China's top internet watchdog.

"In those areas, such as the internet of things, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and the 5G network, relevant technological institutions and companies must plan ahead of time and effectively keep away security risks that keep changing," Yang Xiaowei, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said at a summit on cybersecurity technology in Shanghai on Monday.

Dozens of university professors and business leaders from home and abroad in the area of cybersecurity participated in the summit and discussed various topics, including a safe and efficient internet of the future, cyberspace safety concepts, and new challenges regarding cyberspace security with the rise of burgeoning technologies.

Dong Yunhu, head of Shanghai's publicity department, said cyberspace has become a national security issue.

"Cyberspace managers must improve their capability of protecting the security of data and personal information to ensure an unbreakable, safe cyberspace," he said.

The summit was held amid the annual Cybersecurity Week, an activity aimed at raising awareness about knowledge and policies related to cybersecurity, which began in Shanghai on Saturday and will last through Sunday.

Organized by multiple authorities, including the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Education and Bank of China, this is the third time the summit has been held in the country. The first two were held in Beijing and Wuhan, Hubei province, respectively.

Forums in the following days will feature several topics, including enhancing the comprehensive morality of internet users and establishing a cleaner cyberspace, big data security and personal information protection, as well as technical standards of cybersecurity.