Wuzhen to install a smarter Internet-enabled 'brain'

The plan of Wuzhen is displayed on an interactive screenat the Light of the Internet Expoduring the 2015 World Internet Conference, Dec 17, 2015.[Photo by Dai Tian/chinadaily.com.cn]

"Urban planning should no longer take five to ten years to implement. It should be real-time and constantly reflect changes of the city," said Ouyang.

"Urban planning in the Internet era should mean more than combining the two, but applying the Internet plus drive into every angle of the planning."

The township looks to open a digital experience pavilion and an e-commerce center in the northern part of Xizha Scenery zone of Wuzhen, according to its latest planning proposal.

"It's crucial to upgrade Wuzhen into a town beyond a tourist spot and attract the younger generation to make their home here," said Yin Zhi, veteran urban planner and professor of architecture of Tsinghua University. "The World Internet Conference could be a precious opportunity for it to catch young entrepreneurs' attention."

Wuzhen, with a history of more than 1,300 years, is the permanent venue for the WIC.