Major forum focuses on high-quality development
Officials, experts agree intl cooperation on innovation is the way ahead
The Zhongguancun Index 2018 was released at the Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on Friday. The report shows the park’s leading, dynamic and high-quality development.
The park’s ability to drive the development of innovation continues to grow, according to the report.
In 2017, the index of technology innovation capability in the park increased by 27.4 points year-on-year, with an average annual increase of 16.7 points in the past five years. This shows that the park is continually improving its ability to innovate.
Last year, the park won 51 National Science and Technology Progress Awards and Technology Invention Awards, accounting for 28.2 percent of the country’s total. The park’s companies applied for a total of 3,652 international patents via the Patent Cooperation Treaty, up 14.6 percent yearon-year.
The report stated that the environment for innovation and entrepreneurship is more dynamic with further enhanced technological transformation and incubating abilities.
By the end of 2017, the park’s 69 scientists were listed as highly cited researchers, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the country’s total.
In the same period, 30 companies in the park were selected in the list of Global Unicorn Companies by US venture capital investment research agency CB Insights and the transaction of technological contracts reached 350 billion yuan ($50.8 billion).
The park is also stepping up to optimize its sophisticated economic structure and has achieved high-quality development.
In 2017, the index of highquality development grew to 151.6, which was 10.3 higher than the previous year, with an average annual increase of 12.9 in the past five years.
The revenue of high-tech companies surpassed 5 trillion yuan, accounting for about 17 percent of the country’s hightech zones. Its added value reached 735.22 billion yuan, contributing 33.7 percent of Beijing’s economic growth.
The abilities for opening-up and collaboration continue to improve and the construction of a global science and technology innovation center is underway, according to the report.
Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft and Apple have set up branches or research and development centers in the park.
Local companies including Nuctech have expanded their businesses in the overseas markets. The park is creating a friendly environment for both businesses and residents.
Government officials and industry experts were united in their calls for high-quality development, based on international cooperation in innovation, at the recent 2018 Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing.
With the theme of “Global Innovation and High-quality Development”, the two-day event opened on Friday, attracting dignitaries, senior executives and experts from 13 countries and regions including the United States, Germany and Britain.
Yin Yong, vice-mayor of Beijing, told the forum that innovation is the key driving force for development and is a common topic and trend in today’s world.
“Global technological innovation has entered an unprecedented period and a new round of technological and industrial revolution is on its way,” Yin said.
Major countries and regions in the world are paying a great deal of attention to technological development, he said.
“This year marks the 30th anniversary of Zhongguancun Science Park, which has become a name card for innovation,” he said, adding that Beijing and the park should continue promoting highquality development with a global vision.
Lei Jun, founder and CEO of smartphone maker Xiaomi, said Zhongguancun is the most dynamic area for innovation and entrepreneurship in China, comparable to Silicon Valley in the United States.
He suggested that companies in the park provide financial support to business startups to encourage the creation of more technological breakthroughs.
“Chinese enterprises should have a stronger sense of responsibility to develop in the overseas market and to attract more consumers to enjoy the benefits of China’s technology,” he said.
Peter Bonfield, chairman of NXP Semiconductors, a Dutch chipmaker, said that the world is facing great uncertainty with increasing trade friction and rising protectionism.
“Innovation and global cooperation can help overcome those challenges,” he said.
Multinational corporations play an important role in driving and supporting innovation, Bonfield said.
“We must protect innovation to ensure all enjoy the benefits. Technology and science should be able to operate transnational for the good of everyone.”
Shi Yigong, a structural biophysicist and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that sophisticated science and technology is driving the engine of economic development.
“We cannot sustain innovative economic development without research on cuttingedge science and the innovation of major core technologies,” Shi said.
Guo Yike, head of the Data Science Institute of Imperial College London, said that China is one of the major regions for the development of artificial intelligence in the world.
AI has helped with breakthroughs in machine learning and the application of AI in various fields contributes to economic growth, he said.
However, there is still a lot of work to be done in AI research, including the development of key technologies and cross-sector cooperation, he added.
During the event, the park and the UK Department for International Trade signed an agreement to build a platform for cooperation between China
Beijing’s innovation environment is getting better and better.”
Richard Burn,
and Britain in the technology sector.
“The world around us is changing faster than ever before,” said Richard Burn, UK trade commissioner for China. “It’s down to the incredible potential of new technologies, especially AI, which are constantly learning and getting better every single day.”
“Beijing’s innovation environment is getting better and better,” he said, adding that the collaborative agreement will drive communications and mutual understanding between British and Chinese commercial organizations, and meet the needs for business development of enterprises from the both countries.