admin The 16th Pujiang Innovation Forum commenced in Shanghai, with a grand opening ceremony held on Sunday. The three-day forum, themed “Open Innovation Ecosystem: Innovation for Global Connectivity,” has drawn more than 300 distinguished guests from 32 countries and regions, with nearly 40 percent hailing from overseas.
Details on the Event
The 16th Pujiang Innovation Forum promises to be a catalyst for global collaboration in innovation, showcasing cutting-edge developments, fostering partnerships, and reaffirming the importance of open innovation ecosystems in a rapidly changing world.
This year, Brazil has been honoured as the Country of Honor, while Hubei province has been recognised as the Province of Honor. The significance of this event was underlined by congratulatory letters from both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
In his letter, President Xi emphasised the pivotal role of scientific and technological innovation in addressing global challenges and fostering peace and development. He expressed his hope that the forum would contribute to international scientific and technological cooperation and the betterment of humanity as a whole.
Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining echoed President Xi’s sentiments, emphasising the importance of creating an open, equal, fair, and non-discriminatory science and technology development environment. He stressed that activating innovation vitality is at the core of Shanghai’s efforts to deepen reform and opening-up.
Fostering Cooperation for Technological Development
Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang highlighted China’s extensive international science and technology partnerships, spanning over 160 countries and regions. He outlined the ministry’s commitment to fostering cooperation between government departments and civil groups in science and technology, expanding the sharing of scientific and technological resources, creating an international research environment, and actively participating in international science and technology governance.
During the opening ceremony, two significant initiatives were launched: the first-ever WeStart entrepreneurship conference and the fourth China-Brazil Innovation Week. WeStart, a novel addition to the forum, serves as a platform connecting investors with startup projects, primarily focusing on biological medicine, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. Over 500 incubators and 200 investment institutions will select 100 candidates from more than 1,000 projects to present roadshows.
The Global Tech-Matching Fair, also known as Inno-Match Expo, was inaugurated alongside the opening ceremony. Distinguished speakers, including Pietro Barabaschi, director-general of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) Organization, and Kumsal Bayazit, CEO of Elsevier, shared the latest advancements in projects such as ITER, the Human Phenome Project, large passenger aircraft, and more.
Notably, He Dongfeng, chairman of Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), revealed that the C919, China’s self-developed large passenger aircraft, has received 1,061 orders, underscoring its growing global appeal. Furthermore, the C929, a wide-body passenger jet with 250-350 seats, has entered the initial design phase.
Bayazit recognised China’s remarkable achievements in the realm of scientific publications, with Chinese-authored papers surpassing global averages in both quality and influence. She also noted the increasing prevalence of international collaboration in science and technology, with the share of international collaborative papers rising from 10 percent in 1996 to 22 percent in 2022.
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