2024 Zhongguancun Forum Series – International Forum on Innovation Empowering Industrial Development Held in South Africa

On April 11, 2024, the International Forum on Innovation Empowering Industrial Development, part of the Zhongguancun Forum series, was held in Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa. Lechesa Tsenoli, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, attended the forum and delivered a speech. Xu Xinchao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal People's Government, attended the forum via video and gave a speech. Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science and Innovation of South Africa, sent a congratulatory letter.

The International Forum on Innovation Empowering Industrial Development is a technology innovation exchange event organized by the Zhongguancun Forum, which upholds a high-end positioning, highlights national and international dimensions, and aligns with the high-quality co-building of the "Belt and Road" initiative. It is the first time this event has been held in Africa. The forum focused on themes such as innovation empowering industrial upgrading, creating new momentum and advantages, and deepening innovation cooperation between Beijing and South Africa. The event invited prominent South African experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs to discuss, exchange ideas, and share experiences. More than 100 guests participated, including representatives from Chinese enterprises in South Africa, South African tech companies, and startup incubators.

In his speech, Lechesa Tsenoli, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its efforts in proposing and developing the Zhongguancun Forum, a creative initiative that has helped it expand from China to the world, becoming an important platform for global technological innovation exchange and cooperation. He emphasized that Chinese President Xi Jinping once said, “People with shared ideals are not distant, even though separated by mountains and seas.” Today, gathering at the forum is a manifestation of this shared spirit, as both sides work together to steadily advance Sino-South African cooperation. He noted that the South African government is committed to promoting international innovation cooperation and exchanges, continually enhancing its legislative, oversight, and accountability capacities, and creating opportunities for practical cooperation between the two sides to jointly promote the economic development and progress of both countries.

In his video speech, Xu Xinchao, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal People's Government, stated that Beijing, as an international center for technological innovation with abundant innovation resources, highly active innovation and entrepreneurship, and continuous improvement in open cooperation, will fully leverage its advantages in technological innovation and new industrialization. He emphasized that Beijing would build on South Africa's innovation strengths and development needs to strengthen innovation exchanges, deepen practical cooperation, empower industrial upgrading, and cultivate new business models and industries.

In his congratulatory speech, Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Science and Innovation of South Africa, expressed that scientific cooperation has always been an important component of the friendly relations between China and South Africa. The two countries have carried out practical cooperation in many areas, including artificial intelligence, the establishment of joint laboratories, and exchanges among young scientists, achieving fruitful results. He stated that this forum marks an important milestone in witnessing the significant progress made by both sides in the field of technological innovation. It also provides an important platform for further deepening exchanges and cooperation between China and South Africa, fully stimulating innovation vitality. He emphasized that South Africa is eager to take this opportunity to integrate science diplomacy and economic diplomacy, and through cooperation with the Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park, to establish new partnerships, launch new technological projects, and jointly promote the development of both countries' innovation systems and high-quality industrial growth.

During the keynote session, eight distinguished guests, including Professor Puti Ezrom N'gopé, a professor of Mining Technology at Limpopo University and winner of the 2021 China Government Friendship Award, Academician Liu Xinying from the South African Academy of Sciences, Felix Dapare Dakora, a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, former President of the African Academy of Sciences, and Professor at Tshwane University of Technology, delivered keynote speeches. They discussed key areas such as mining, energy, artificial intelligence, and social sciences, jointly exploring how technological innovation can promote high-quality development.

Currently, the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Zhongguancun Management Committee, in alignment with the national support for the high-quality co-construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative, are researching and formulating a new round of the "Belt and Road" Technology Innovation Beijing Action Plan. They aim to leverage Beijing's strengths in education, science and technology, and talent, striving to build an important hub in the "Belt and Road" innovation cooperation network, deepen innovation exchanges with South Africa, and achieve more high-quality cooperative results.

Source: Beijing International Science and Technology Innovation Center WeChat Official Account
Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Dbzv8d6tvxL0KEDbp-9JNA