Guangdong briefing on highlights of Greater Bay Science Forum

The Information Office of the Guangdong Provincial People's Government held a conference in Guangzhou on Dec 3, briefing the press on the preparation and highlights of the Greater Bay Science Forum 2021, which is scheduled to run from Dec 11 to 13. 

Themed "Exploring the future, sharing scientific achievement," the three-day event aims to promote scientific and technological cooperation between the Greater Bay Area and the world. It will bring together Nobel Prize laureates, scientists, experts and business leaders worldwide to discuss frontier science and technologies in such areas as life sciences, sustainable development, nano-science and industrial software.

The development of the International Science and Technology Innovation Center in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a national strategy, and a new starting point for high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. To this end, the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) has been invited to jointly launch the Greater Bay Science Forum with Guangdong province, aiming to build it into a "Davos for science and technology" in China, Bai Chunli, chairman of ANSO, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in a video speech.

"We hope to make good use of Guangdong's experience in reform and opening up accumulated over the past 40 years, give full play to the role of international scientific organizations, and pool together scientists and innovation resources at home and abroad to help the Greater Bay Area better integrate into the global innovation network."

The ANSO chairman hoped that the Greater Bay Science Forum will grow in to a pivotal platform that provide unique Chinese solutions for global governance on scientific and technological innovation.

ANSO, established in 2018 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 36 other international science and education institutions, currently have 67 members representing 50 countries and regions across the world. The non-profit and non-governmental international scientific organization supported 52 joint research projects, promoted construction of 19 international thematic networks and organized around 100 international conferences, forums, training and science exhibitions over the past three years, according to Bai.

Wang Xi, vice governor of Guangdong, said that the Greater Bay Science Forum is committed to building a major global event for scientists, integrating scientific exchange and discussion, and display of achievements in innovation cooperation. It will be a strategic fulcrum for Guangdong to base itself on a new stage of development and explore a new development paradigm. It will also be an important driver to accelerate the construction of an international science and technology innovation center in the Greater Bay Area.

To be held in Guangzhou, which is part of the Greater Bay Area, the science forum will host a slew of activities, including a general conference which will be attended by Chinese government leaders, heads of national ministries and agencies, chief executives of Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, heads of international organizations and leading scientists from around the world.

"We will take this forum as an opportunity to show the world the major achievements in science and technology in the Greater Bay Area and strive to turn the forum into an open window for close cooperation with the international scientific and technological community," said Wang.

He added that the forum, through gathering wisdom worldwide, will help develop the Greater Bay Area into an important global innovation engine and thus Injecting new functions into the development of the international scientific community for the betterment of mankind.

Guangdong enjoys strong advantages in developing an international science and technology innovation center. They include the policy support from the central government, the fast gathering of innovation resources and a complete lab system, which has attracted a large number of high-level innovation institutions and teams of high-calibre professionals around the world, said Gong Guoping, head of the Guangdong provincial department of science and technology. 

He said that Guangdong has been the top-ranked region in terms of comprehensive capacity of innovation in China for the past four consecutive years. The province is also well positioned for coordination and complementarity with Hong Kong and Macao.

The Pearl River Delta is an important global manufacturing base of high-tech products with a complete industrial system and the largest number of high-tech enterprises in China, which are strongly motivated for technological innovation, said Gong.

He said Guangdong will better combine its local advantages, such as the integrity of its industrial system with the advantages of Hong Kong and Macao, such as extensive international links and developed professional services, to accelerate the cultivation of a number of strategic industrial clusters with global influence and competitiveness, and build a model of coordinated and complementary development.

Nansha, which has been chosen as the permanent venue for the Greater Bay Science Forum, is striving hard to be an open hub for tech innovation in the Greater Bay Area, said Dong Ke, head of Nansha, a district seating at the southern tip of Guangzhou.

Dong said Nansha is a national level new area, a free trade pilot zone and demonstration area for comprehensive cooperation in the Greater Bay Area. Overlying policy advantages, plus a good business environment, are making Nansha an ideal destination for global investors and career development. 

Unique geographical location has also added much appeal to Nansha, with Hong Kong and Macao only 38 nautical miles and 41 nautical miles away, respectively. Within a radius of 100 kilometers, Nansha is linked with five major international airports and 11 cities belonging to the Greater Bay Area. Its trade network reaches more than 200 cities and 400 ports around the world.

Mei Zhiqing, deputy director of Publicity Department of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and director of the Information Office of Guangdong Provincial People's Government, presided over the press conference.