New members for Belt and Road group
The Belt and Road Science and Innovation Network welcomes two new members.
A cooperation network in science and technology for countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative welcomed two new members on Thursday.
The Belt and Road Science and Innovation Network, established in Shanghai In October 2016, now has 26 members, it was announced at the Belt and Road Science and Innovation Forum in Shanghai.
The Shanghai Institute of Science and Technology Management is known as the local cradle of technology officials and the Bangkok Innovation Cooperation Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, set up in 2017, is the academy’s first overseas non-profit organization promoting global science, technology and innovation in achievements commercialization.
The other 24 members are universities, research institutions and technology companies, from 12 countries such as China, Egypt, Russia, Singapore, Pakistan and Thailand. They include Shanghai Jiao Tong University, home to the network’s secretariat, St Petersburg Polytechnic University and Warsaw University of Technology.
The network's vision was initiated in Shanghai, and it covers the whole nation and countries on the Belt and Road initiative. It builds a bridge for them to seek political and economic cooperation, and integrated development in innovation, according to Mao Junfa, vice president of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
A variety of exchange programs for members have been designed and launched, he said.
Young scientists from the Belt and Road countries have come to China to take part in short-term scientific research and receive training in cutting-edge technologies. Cross-border contests and awards in innovation are held to discover and foster budding scientists.
Universities, research institutes and technology companies are also encouraged to set up joint labs and accelerate turning ideas into products. And countries are encouraged to build innovation parks to harness their complementary advantages.
Wang Jianyu, president of the Shanghai Branch under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said members in the network have tapped cooperation potential in areas such as the environment, green energy and biological medicine.
“We have helped other Belt and Road countries to tackle some common practical problems such as medicine shortages, prevention and control of diseases, environmental improvements and new materials development,” he said.
Another highlight of the forum was the establishment of the Pan-Balkan Alliance of Natural Products and Drug Discovery Associations, formed by China and other 10 countries including as Croatia, Greece and Serbia.
“We have many great scientists from China and the Balkan region, and we have formed some cooperation in the research of using plants to treat diseases,” said Ye Yang, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
He mentioned one medicine co-developed by scientists from North Macedonia. The medicine, based on sage, should be exported to other countries in the Balkan region to benefit more people, he said.
