Recently, the Science and Technology Daily published an article titled “Building a New Framework for Mutually Beneficial International Scientific Cooperation — Written on the Eve of the Opening of the Second Belt and Road Science and Technology Exchange Conference.” The article highly praised the achievements of the Tengchong Scientists' Forum in expanding the space for international dialogue, It noted that the Tengchong Scientists' Forum has become an important platform for the exchange of advanced academic ideas, interaction between government, industry, academia, and research, the conversion of scientific and technological achievements, and scientific and technological cooperation between China and South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Transforming the forum into a globally renowned “Science and Technology Davos” is the aspiration of Yunnan Province and the scientific community.
Open cooperation has always been an inherent part of the Tengchong Scientists Forum. The forum belongs to China and the world. It sets its agenda around serving the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and building a community with a shared future for mankind, actively promoting cooperation with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative in areas such as scientific research openness, key technology research and development, and technology transfer and conversion, thereby helping to enhance partnerships with neighboring countries. Currently, the forum has become an important window for Yunnan Province to “build a radiating center for China facing South Asia and Southeast Asia.”
Since the inaugural forum was held in 2022, the forum has invited scientists, senior experts, and government officials from over 20 countries, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam, to attend the forum. This has deepened the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism, expanded China's network of scientific and technological innovation cooperation partners, and effectively enhanced China's appeal, influence, and reach in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
"The practice since the establishment of the Tengchong Scientists' Forum has demonstrated that the forum not only leverages Tengchong's unique advantages but also promotes its high-quality development, emerging as a new important platform for the Belt and Road Initiative's science and technology innovation strategy.” Academician Gu Binglin, Chairman of the Tengchong Scientists Forum, stated in his opening remarks at the 2024 Tengchong Scientists Forum that the forum will continue to focus on specialization, high-end development, and internationalization, ultimately achieving the goal of becoming a “China-specific, world-class” forum.
Original report as follows:
Building a New Landscape of Mutually Beneficial International Science and Technology Cooperation
— Written on the Occasion of the Opening of the Second “Belt and Road” Science and Technology Exchange Conference
“When we connect, we progress together; when we isolate, we retreat separately.” When Chinese young scholars gaze at the vast starry sky in South Africa, when Kazakh farmers sow Chinese wheat seeds, when Spanish ecologists observe elephant herds in Yunnan, and when Italian scientists realize their scientific dreams in China... these vivid examples of Sino-foreign science and technology cooperation are piecing together a real-life picture of ”science knows no borders.”
China has consistently adhered to the principle that science and technology cooperation benefits humanity, pursuing a mutually beneficial and win-win open strategy. To date, China has established science and technology cooperation relationships with over 160 countries and regions worldwide, signed 119 government-to-government science and technology cooperation agreements, participated in over 200 international organizations and multilateral mechanisms, and joined over 60 international large-scale science projects and engineering initiatives; at the grassroots level, academic exchanges and personnel interactions in specialized fields are thriving.
Recently, reporters visited the frontlines of domestic and international science and technology cooperation, deeply sensing how China is weaving “the warp” with science and technology and “the weft” with cooperation, forging closer ties with the world, and shaping a new landscape in international science and technology cooperation.
Building a larger-scale international cooperation platform
In the physics laboratory at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Ma Yinzhe, an academician of the South African Academy of Sciences and director of the Astrophysics Division, is leading a Chinese team in efficiently processing massive amounts of astronomical data from the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope. He told reporters that the team is developing a new artificial intelligence data processing pipeline to accelerate the process of scientific discovery.
In July 2021, with the joint support of China, South Africa, and more than 10 other countries, the SKA project commenced construction. This global large-scale scientific facility, dubbed the “Earth's Giant Eye,” will become the world's largest comprehensive aperture radio telescope, driving rapid development in global manufacturing, communications, computing, and energy industries.
China's scientific community has deeply engaged in the development of key technologies, the research and development of core equipment, and scientific problem studies for the SKA project, leading the development and construction of infrastructure such as the mid-frequency antenna. From the laboratory to the factory to the field, China has actively participated in international large-scale scientific projects, achieving a multiplier effect in international scientific cooperation.
National strategic assets are no exception. “Take the ‘Multi-Science Object Simultaneous Survey’ priority major project of the ‘Chinese Sky Eye’ (FAST) as an example. Its open data sharing platform serves users from dozens of countries worldwide, and every step of its development has been the result of the collective efforts of Chinese and international scientists.” Li Ke, the former chief scientist of FAST and recipient of the Marcel Grossmann Award, explained that international cooperation was integrated into the design of FAST from the outset. The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization designed and built a set of core tools. After FAST began formal operations in early 2021, scientists from multiple European countries quickly formed an international cooperation network covering cutting-edge fields such as pulsars and fast radio bursts.
Recently, Li Ke led a team from Tsinghua University in collaboration with astronomers from Italy, Australia, Germany, and other countries to conduct a high-precision pulsar polarization survey of globular clusters in the Milky Way, leveraging the advantages of both FAST and the South African MeerKAT array telescope. This marks the first in-depth collaboration between the two world-leading radio telescopes in the field of globular cluster research.
From Beidou system-related services and products exported to over 140 countries and regions, to the Chinese space station and international lunar research station attracting global scientists to participate; from oceanographic research vessels carrying scholars from various countries to explore the mysteries of the ocean, to the Chinese scientific community taking the lead in initiating international large-scale scientific projects such as “Deep Time Digital Earth (DDE)” and “Ocean Negative Emissions (ONCE)”... China is focused on building a community with a shared future for mankind, actively taking on responsibilities on a large-scale cross-border cooperation platform, attracting, gathering, and collaborating with more like-minded partners to chart the future together.
Expanding more equitable international dialogue spaces
In mid-May, a delegation from the Chinese Academy of Sciences visited Germany, where they met with colleagues from the Max Planck Society to discuss the upcoming 2025 “Frontier Exploration Roundtable Forum” to be held in Shanghai, with the theme of “Organoids, Bioprinting, and Artificial Tissues.”
Over the years, the top academic institutions of the two countries have continuously innovated cooperation models, fostering close exchanges through the establishment of young scientists' groups, hosting the Frontier Exploration Roundtable Forum, and jointly supporting research projects, thereby cultivating a large number of young academic leaders.
Chen Linhao, Minister-Counselor for Science and Technology at the Chinese Embassy in Germany, commented: “More foreign scholars will come to China for exchanges and work, as scientific and technological cooperation with China is undoubtedly a mutually beneficial outcome.”
In China, promoting open dialogue and sincere cooperation is a core theme of major science forums.
Tengchong, Yunnan, known as the “First City on the Frontier,” has successfully hosted three editions of the “Tengchong Scientists Forum.” Academician Lu Yuming of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong was the first recipient of the “Tengchong Science Award.” At the forum, he called for “integrated collaboration between government, industry, and research to address diseases such as thalassemia through screening, diagnosis, and treatment.” As a global leader in liquid biopsy technology, he and his team are licensing non-invasive prenatal testing technology to over 100 countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and beyond.
“The forum has become an important platform for the exchange of advanced academic ideas, government-industry-academia-research collaboration, technology transfer, and scientific and technological cooperation between China and South Asian and Southeast Asian countries,” said Ma Minxiang, Deputy Director of the Yunnan Academy of Sciences and Deputy Director of the Tengchong Scientists Forum Organizing Committee Office. He explained that transforming the forum into a globally renowned ‘Science and Technology Davos’ is both Yunnan's aspiration and the aspiration of the scientific community.
At renowned conferences such as the Zhongguancun Forum and the World Internet Conference, Chinese and foreign scientists spark intellectual exchanges; in international cooperation projects at major universities and various cross-border innovation alliances, Chinese and foreign member units actively interact... China upholds the principle of “each beauty is unique, yet all beauties harmonize together,” and its posture of high-level open innovation and opportunities for multi-level dialogue and exchange attract global scientific and technological forces.
Incubating more effective innovation cooperation networks
Professor Zhang Zhengmao from Northwest A&F University led a delegation to visit the Safolin Agricultural Technology University in Kazakhstan in mid-May. On the second day of their arrival, they confirmed the key priorities for this year's China-Kazakhstan Grain and Oil Crop Production Science and Technology Demonstration Park with Kazakhstani experts. The wheat and sunflower seeds brought from China have already begun to be sown. The Aijiu Agricultural Products Logistics and Processing Park in Kazakhstan has been a long-term beneficiary of this cooperation. Deputy Manager Aizhibai commented: “These high-quality seeds have significantly improved wheat yields and quality, and are highly favored by consumers.”
In recent years, China has consistently practiced open cooperation to promote common development, earning the welcome, support, and response of the global scientific community. The scientific and technological innovation cooperation capabilities of countries along the Belt and Road have continued to improve. In fields such as agriculture, new energy, health, and wellness, China has launched the construction of over 70 “Belt and Road” joint laboratories with relevant countries, continuously expanding the scope and scale of joint research.
In 2020, the Chinese and Uruguayan governments jointly launched the “China-Uruguay Joint Laboratory Cooperation Project,” focusing on soybean genetics research and innovation.
In April this year, the two parties responsible for constructing the joint laboratory met as scheduled. Ren Yulong, Deputy Director of the Institute of Crop Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, led a delegation to visit the Uruguayan Institute of Agriculture and Livestock, where they inspected soybean experimental bases, molecular breeding laboratories, and smart greenhouses. Uruguay's Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Flati, extended a warm welcome and expressed the hope that the “China-Uruguay Soybean Research and Innovation Belt and Road Joint Laboratory” would be developed into an international science and technology innovation collaboration platform as soon as possible.
At the first “Belt and Road” Science and Technology Exchange Conference in 2023, China first proposed the “International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative,” advocating the practice of open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory principles in international science and technology cooperation.
From the 10th to the 12th of this month, the second conference will be held as scheduled in Chengdu. Under the framework of “Belt and Road” science and technology cooperation, old and new friends from over 100 countries and international organizations will gather once again. This conference will establish an open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial institutionalized exchange platform to promote cross-sectoral and cross-regional science and technology exchanges and cooperation among participating countries, injecting new momentum into global science and technology innovation cooperation.
Cultivating a More Nutritious Ecosystem for Scientific Cooperation
Those who share the same aspirations are not deterred by mountains and seas. Spanish Chief Researcher Kang Musha has dedicated 20 years to the ecology and conservation of large mammals in Asia. Since joining the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2020, he has been actively involved in transnational patrols for Asian elephants.
On May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity, the Xishuangbanna Biodiversity Platform, jointly developed by the Tropical Botanical Garden and the Xishuangbanna State Ecological Environment Bureau, was officially launched globally. Kang Musha is delighted to see that the species record data collected over the years by researchers and nature enthusiasts in the Xishuangbanna region can now be traced, revised, and dynamically displayed on the platform, providing a new window for all sectors of society to explore tropical biodiversity.
For collaborative achievements to take root and flourish, suitable conditions are essential.
Italian scientist Fei Fan, based at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, is part of the China-Sri Lanka Water Technology Research and Demonstration Joint Center. During the project collaboration, Fei Fan observed that the Chinese side not only proactively shared core technologies but also cultivated local research capabilities for partners. “This ‘teaching others to fish’ approach adds a human touch to scientific cooperation,” he noted.
Heroes are not judged by their origins. Fei Fan once proposed establishing his own laboratory and secured funding within just one year. “Compared to the research funding systems in Europe and the United States, China places greater emphasis on what scientific problems the applicant can actually solve. This pragmatic and efficient funding system is the source of vitality for scientific and technological innovation.”
A relevant official from the Ministry of Science and Technology explained that moving forward, China will not only strengthen closer scientific and technological partnerships with countries worldwide and deepen cooperation mechanisms across various fields but also accelerate the construction of an open innovation environment for science and technology. This includes expanding the openness of scientific and technological programs, research data, research funding, and research facilities, as well as establishing science and technology service standards aligned with international norms.
In Fei Fan's view, “The Chinese government plays a crucial yet appropriately balanced role in promoting scientific development, much like spring rain nourishing plants without leaving a trace, providing the most suitable environment for scientific and technological innovation and cooperation.”
