You Wenze
The first Belt and Road Science and Technology Exchange Conference (BRST) was held in Chongqing, a south-western municipality in China, in early November, just after the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Co-operation in Beijing in October which marked the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by Chinese President XI Jinping, who announced the eight major steps that China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road co-operation in the opening ceremony.
One of the steps is to continue to advance scientific and technological innovation. China will continue to implement the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Co-operation Action Plan, increase the number of joint laboratories built with other Belt and Road parties to 100 in the next five years, and support young scientists from other countries to work on short-term programmes in China.
The first BRST, motivated by President XI, adheres to the Silk Road Spirit: Peace and Co-operation, Openness and Inclusiveness, Mutual Learning and Mutual Benefit. With the theme of “Jointly Building Innovation and Promoting Co-operative Development”, the conference held a series of activities on intergovernmental co-operation in ST, people-to-people exchanges in ST, and industrial innovation and development. Guests from 80 countries and international organisations attended, with fruitful outcomes.
Over the past decade, China has signed intergovernmental agreements on ST co-operation with more than 80 Belt and Road countries, and established intellectual property rights (IPR) co-operation with more than 50 Belt and Road countries. More than 50 Belt and Road joint laboratories have been built in areas such as health, transportation, materials and energy, and more than 20 agricultural technology Demo Centres and 70 overseas Industrial Parks have been established in the co-developing countries.
China has built nine transnational technology transfer centres for ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations), Africa and Latin America, held more than 300 technology exchange and docking events, and promoted the implementation of more than 1 000 co-operation projects.
More than 10 000 young scientists from Belt and Road countries have been supported to come to China for short-term scientific research and exchanges, and trained more than 16 000 scientific, technological and managerial personnel from Belt and Road countries.
In particular, in the field of IT and communication, the “One Thousand Villages” project has brought stable satellite TV service to tens of millions of African people. The Beidou-3 Global Navigation Satellite System has provided accelerated positioning and high-precision services for more than 200 countries and regions.
Looking forward:
• China will launch the Belt and Road Co-operation Programme on STI, and carry out four initiatives on sustainable development technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, spatial information technology, and poverty reduction through science and technology.
• China will launch the development of the Belt and Road Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, focusing on the national science and technology strategy and the major needs of regional development, and solidly promote key tasks such as resource sharing, talent exchange, and platform construction.
• China has issued the International Science and Technology Co-operation Initiative, formally delivered by the Minister of Science and Technology of China. To promote open, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory international science and technology co-operation, develop science for the benefit of all regardless of borders, and jointly build a global science and technology community, China puts forward the following International Science and Technology Co-operation Initiative:
– Staying committed to the pursuit of science. We should approach science and pursue truth in the most appropriate way as it should be. We should uphold scientific integrity, respect research ethics, foster a vision of tech for good, and improve global science and technology governance. We should strengthen protection of IPR, and develop and govern emerging technologies in a more inclusive and prudent manner.
– Pursuing innovation-driven development. We should enhance global STI collaboration, build a global innovation network, promote the adoption and diffusion of emerging technologies, and bolster technological innovation co-operation among enterprises to inject new impetus into world economic recovery and growth. Countries should work together to promote connectivity in the digital age, accelerate global transition towards green and low-carbon development, and achieve sustainable development for all.
– Adhering to open co-operation. We should be committed to open science regardless of borders and with no barriers imposed, ensure the free flow of STI personnel and resources around the world, increase personnel exchanges and co-operation, and foster an open and free international ecosystem for science and technology co-operation. We will resolutely oppose restrictions or obstacles to science and technology co-operation which undermine the common interests of the international community.
– Adhering to equality and inclusiveness. We should uphold the principles of mutual respect, fairness, equality and non-discrimination, and encourage all countries and research entities to participate in international science and technology co-operation on an equal footing. We firmly oppose politicising, instrumentalising or weaponising science and technology co-operation, and oppose hegemonic and bullying acts through science and technology under the pretext of national security.
– Upholding solidarity and co-ordination. In the face of urgent global challenges such fields as climate change, health, environmental protection, energy security and food security, countries should work together to boost collaboration and mutual learning among STI entities, advance the implementation of major international science programmes and projects, and achieve breakthroughs in major scientific and technological challenges concerning the future of mankind.
– Pursuing win-win outcomes for all. We should uphold genuine multilateralism, explore a new model of win-win global cooperation on STI, and ensure that the STI achievements are shared by all. China will set up a global scientific research fund and increase scientific and technological assistance to other developing countries, so that scientific and technological progress will benefit mankind as a whole.
You is China’s Consul-General in Cape Town.
Cape Times