A scientific and technological feast is about to kick off. The second Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange will be held in Chengdu from June 10 to 12.
The conference is being co-hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the China Association for Science and Technology, the People's Government of Sichuan Province, and the Chongqing Municipal People's Government. The conference, themed "Building the Innovation Silk Road for Shared Development: Working Together for a Belt and Road Science and Technology Community", will provide strong sci-tech support for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. What are the highlights of this conference compared to the first one, and what achievements are expected? On June 3, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to brief on the relevant information.
Highlighting Practicality and Efficiency
38 Events Set in Five Focused Categories
In November 2023, the first Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange was held in Chongqing. Over the past year, the Chengdu-Chongqing region has seen its scientific and technological innovation cooperation network continuously expand, with a steady influx of global sci-tech innovation resources, both of which contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation. Building on the achievements of its inaugural edition, this year's conference will promote Belt and Road sci-tech exchanges and cooperation through institutionalized mechanisms, aiming to continuously deliver new outcomes in mutually beneficial collaboration.
As reported, the conference will feature 38 events across five categories: major events, thematic activities, special events, roundtables, and technology matchmaking sessions. Discussions will center on topics such as Belt and Road sci-tech planning and policy coordination, sci-tech and cultural exchanges, industrial innovation and development, international mega-science projects, sci-tech poverty alleviation, artificial intelligence, and traditional Chinese medicine. The conference has received active responses from countries participating in Belt and Road cooperation, gathering attendees from 100 countries and international organizations.
A key highlight of this conference is its emphasis on practicality and efficiency. Through analysis, reporters have found that some of these activities target key sectors, strengthen scientific and technological support, promote deep integration between innovation chains and industrial chains, and facilitate industrial transformation and upgrading. For example, the conference will hold sci-tech exchange activities in multiple fields, such as transportation, traditional Chinese medicine, and disaster prevention and mitigation, aiming to address key challenges hindering industry development. Some activities will leverage scientific and technological cooperation to address global challenges. For example, in the field of poverty alleviation, the conference will organize events focused on sci-tech poverty alleviation, in a bid to deepen collaborative innovation, highlight digital empowerment, and strengthen talent leadership. It will explore new paths and models for using technological innovation to support targeted poverty reduction, accelerate the transformation of advanced and applicable technologies into real productive forces supporting international poverty reduction, and promote the joint development of an "innovation road", a "poverty reduction road", and a "growth road".
Currently, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is developing rapidly, giving rise to numerous new business formats and models. The conference will host activities such as the AI-Enabled Sustainable Development Forum to facilitate AI's empowerment of diverse industries and sectors. Additionally, to ensure that more scientific and technological advancements benefit people's wellbeing, the conference will host events like the "Science and Technology for Better Life" industrial cooperation promotion, aiming to make technological innovations more tangible and accessible to all.
Delivering a Series of Outcomes
To Inject More Sci-Tech Innovation Momentum into the Building of a Silk Road of Innovation
The network testing platform developed by the China-Korea Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Industrial Internet of Things has seen large-scale applications of its related technologies in over 40 Chinese and foreign enterprises. The "Hongyang" series of kiwifruit varieties cultivated by the China-New Zealand Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Kiwifruit has been promoted for planting across more than 3,500 hectares in 11 countries. At the press conference, the scientific and technological achievements since the first conference vividly showcased the tangible benefits brought by Belt and Road sci-tech cooperation.
At this conference, stories similar to those of the "network testing platform" and "kiwifruit" will continue to unfold.
Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality will jointly launch the Chengdu-Chongqing Belt and Road Sci-Tech Cooperation "Double Thousand" Plan (comprising the "Thousand Cooperation Projects Initiative" and the "Thousand Young Scientists Exchange Initiative"), striving to deepen cooperation with the Belt and Road countries in joint research, technology transfer, and sci-tech cultural exchanges. Under the "Thousand Cooperation Projects Initiative", joint efforts will be made with Belt and Road countries to implement a number of R&D projects, advance a number of major landmark projects and "small and beautiful" projects for improving the people's wellbeing, and implement a number of scientific and technological achievements transfer and application projects. Through the "Thousand Young Scientists Exchange Initiative", work will be done to establish a joint training mechanism for scientific and technological talents, organize technical training programs for young professionals, and build exchange platforms for young scientists.
Sichuan will focus on fields such as artificial intelligence, medical health, low-altitude economy, and high-end energy equipment to release a list of 40 two-way "calling for best candidates" projects, which connect enterprises with technology and achievements with markets, facilitating a smooth flow of the selected solutions on a larger scope.
Additionally, during the conference, a series of outcomes will be delivered, including signing bilateral intergovernmental sci-tech cooperation documents, launching Belt and Road sci-tech innovation special cooperation plans in multiple key fields, and initiating new international big science programs spearheaded by Chinese scientists. These achievements will inject more sci-tech innovation momentum into the building of a Silk Road of innovation.
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