Forum to showcase latest tech innovation

Industry players to attend five-day event focusing on health, carbon neutrality and intelligence

Beijing will host the 2021 ZGC Forum on Sept 24-28 in Zhongguancun Science Park, focusing on intelligence, health and carbon neutrality.

According to the organizing committee, this year's forum is poised to invite top scientists including Nobel Prize and Turing Award winners, representatives of foreign enterprises and industry leaders to discuss topics such as digital economy, clean energy and sustainable development.

Zhai Lixin, director of the administrative commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, said the annual forum, launched in 2007, has become an important platform for global exchanges and cooperation in scientific and technological innovation.

The ZGC Forum brings together fresh insights and cutting-edge technologies to bolster the capital's goal of becoming an international hub of scientific and technological innovation and it contributes to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Zhai added.

As part of the ZGC Forum, the 24th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo will be held at the Zhongguancun Exhibition Center at the same time, showcasing the country's latest technological breakthroughs.

This year's expo will have five display areas showcasing intelligent technology, carbon neutrality and the 2022 Winter Olympics, said organizers. About 300 tech companies will participate.

"We plan to exhibit a batch of innovative achievements made by startups and offer visitors various interactive experiences," said Zhang Youlin, deputy director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade's Beijing subcouncil.

The Zhongguancun International Frontier Technology Innovation Competition will be held at the ZGC Forum for the first time.

The competition, which has been held for four consecutive years, seeks to find startups or teams with advanced technologies around the world.

This year's theme is "boost digital economy with frontier technology". It will focus on 12 fields including artificial intelligence, health sciences and integrated circuits, said Hou Yun, deputy director of the administrative commission of Zhongguancun Science Park.

Organizers will provide excellent competitors with strong support such as financial aid and entrepreneur coaching to facilitate the transformation of their technologies, Hou added.

The ZGC Forum will also hold a technology trade fair, seeking to help match supply and demand.

Representatives from more than 100 foreign institutions from about 40 countries and regions will attend the fair, according to organizers.

During the five-day forum, visitors will be able to take part in a special activity highlighting the great sci-tech achievements made during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

In addition to key projects, representatives from institutes and businesses will publish research reports and cooperation plans.

The organizing committee said the event's conferences, exhibitions, trade and announcements will be broadcast to the public via online livestreaming.