On December 11, the reporter learned from the Department of Science and Technology that the China-Cuba Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Neurotechnology and Brain-Apparatus Communication recently received approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology. This marks the third national-level Belt and Road Joint Laboratory approved for construction in Sichuan, following the China-Croatia Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Ser vices and the China-New Zealand Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Kiwifru it.

The laboratory is a collaborative project between the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) and the Cuban Center for Neurosciences (CNEURO) . Both institutions are at the forefront of brain science and neuroscience research. The CNEURO is highly reputable in the field of brain science both in the Latin American region and globally. According to the 2023 list of the best neuroscientists re leased by the esteemed academic platform Research.com, the UESTC holds the top position nationwide for the number of neuroscience researchers listed in this ranking. In March 2023, the UESTC and BioCubaFarma  signed an agreement on jointly advancing the construction of the Belt and Road Joint Laboratory. In June of the same year, the Cuban side issued a letter of support for the co-construction of the Belt and Road Joint Laboratory. Then, in July, the UESTC and the CNEURO signed a co-construction agreement.

This laboratory specializes in research areas such as neurotechnology, brain-apparatus communication, and brain-inspired intelligence. It primarily conducts research using methods like big data, artificial intelligence, brain-inspired intelligence, non-invasive EEG, and MRI. The laboratory aims to establish itself as a globally influential center for brain information research, contributing to public brain health on a worldwide scale. The laboratory will also act as a bridge connecting China with Cuba and Latin America, fostering collaboration through the establishment of a brain science innovation alliance and a brain intelligence industry innovation alliance, as well as engaging in international initiatives for the joint cultivation of talent in this field. Ultimately, the laboratory aims to achieve its objectives across various dimensions, including research platforms, teams, outcomes, sci-tech innovation capabilities, and international cooperation abilities. For instance, it has established a global brain science cooperation platform called WeBrain, with efforts to pilot or transform this program in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries, in a bid to serve public brain health and enhance its capacity to undertake major international cooperation projects. The laboratory is also committed to hosting or organizing academic conferences with international influence and establishing international collaborative mechanisms for talent training and development, among others.

The Belt and Road Joint Laboratory, approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, represents China's highest-level platform for international scientific and technological collaboration and innovation. It is designed to meet the scientific and technological requirements of both China and BRI partner countries, drawing on the framework of national key laboratory construction. This move aims to provide robust scientific and technological support for paving the BRI road of innovation through practical collaborations between Chinese and foreign scientists. Stepping forward, Sichuan will fully support UESTC in building the Belt and Road Joint Laboratory, facilitating the development of a high-energy, open platform for innovation and collaboration.