Innovation forum a success
Innovation projects were launched and international cooperation established at the three-day Pujiang Innovation Forum.
On Sunday, a technology transfer alliance was launched between China’s National Eastern Tech-Transfer Center (NETC) and Dutch innovation community Brightlands.
Also, the center’s European headquarters in the Netherlands was unveiled.
Technology transfer, the process of turning cutting-edge knowledge into new products and services, plays an important role in promoting economic transformation.
It is about creating social values from research.
Technology transfer works as a foundation for science-business ecosystem in the Netherlands, said Jan Cobbenhagen, chief executive officer of the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus.
Brightlands gathers students, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors in four themed campuses to develop solutions in the fields of biomedicine, nutrition and farming, big data and smart services, materials and sustainable chemicals.
By bringing together talent in different fields, it forms a regional knowledge platform.
Key factors to successful science-business parks, according to Cobbenhagen, include great people, active shareholding and a harmonious partnership of university, government and business.
Currently, NETC has placed 14 overseas channels and 16 domestic branches, resulting in 38,218 achievements.
Its cooperation with Brightlands and the establishment of the new European headquarters aim to deepen scientific exchange and technological cooperation between the two countries.
The National Eastern Tech-Transfer Center Netherlands Branch (European Headquarters) is unveiled on Sunday.
Researchers, universities and companies will have platforms to share information and have their ideas incubated in overseas markets.
China is seeking to form a Belt and Road innovation community which will allow countries to share resources.
Beijing is said to be the start and Rotterdam in the Netherlands is said to be the end.
At a seminar, some 20 speakers shared their views on policy, the environment, practices and vision for science and technology innovation cooperation along the Belt and Road.
Hu Zhujian, president of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, spoke about the importance of cross-border communication and cooperation in global science and technology innovation development.
"The Belt and Road Initiative raises a brand-new idea of international cooperation," said Hu. "To realize the goal of joint development and a community of common destiny, it sets up collaboration programs with principles of joint discussion, co-construction and sharing.
"It ensures these programs' quality with the principle of the market economy. It promotes multilateral cooperation with the principle of coordinating development strategies. It leads international cooperation with the idea of creating a 'community of common destiny'."
Hu said science and technology innovation is playing a more and more significant role in the construction of the Belt and Road.
Countries all over the world are agreeing to enhance their cooperation on science and technology innovation to meet challenges and facilitate their sustainable development.
In recent years, with the joint effort by all participants, international science and technology innovation has achieved positive progress and become a highlight of the Belt and Road construction.
A seminar is held on Sunday to discuss the construction of the Belt and Road innovation journey.
Flavia Schleged, special envoy for science in global policy of the International Science Council, said she was excited to meet people promoting innovation in the Belt and Road Initiative.
She said innovation is not only about money and GDP, but also about social improvement and the environment.
Yan Lijin, president of Silk Road Group, introduced the "Digital Silk Road" project.
It covers the public and professional services of global geographic information, global sustainable development and construction of a "global spatial information corridor."
"International cooperation is driving the pace of innovation," Yan said. "The accurate big data solution we brought up is based on our communication with the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, which helped us find their needs.
"Then many new scientific and technological achievements came out in China, which also promoted our own growth."
For Yan, to create a Belt and Road innovation community means to share achievements and work together for a better future.
Secretary Raul Lambino, presidential adviser for Northern Luzon, said the Philippines is very grateful for the Chinese government's support for their hard infrastructure program.
"Now we are embarking on a new era of development and cooperation between the Chinese and Philippine governments," he said. "That will be about the digital economy, technological advancement in finance and e-commerce."
