Ministry of Science and Technology: Actively explore regulatory approaches such as "sandbox regulation" and trigger-based regulation for new technology applications, creating a favorable innovation ecosystem for the development of emerging industries and the cultivation of future industries.

On March 18, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the “2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference.”

At the event, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Lin Xin introduced that the theme of the “2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference” is “Deep Integration of Scientific and Industrial Innovation.” The conference features five main sections: forum meetings, achievement releases, technology transactions, frontier competitions, and supporting activities, with over 100 events planned. It is expected to attract thousands of guests from more than 100 countries and regions.

Jin Wei, a member of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and Vice Mayor, further stated that this year’s forum will promote the widespread application of artificial intelligence. Attendees will experience firsthand how AI evolution empowers various industries. For example, the AI “Translator” will be on duty throughout, expanding language services from Chinese and English to include French, Russian, Spanish, and other languages, enabling seamless communication among guests from all over the world. Robot cafes will also open to welcome customers.

Photo source: Reporter Zhou Yifei of Meiri at the scene of the press conference

Encourage universities and research institutes to open up scientific research data, instruments, and innovation platforms to enterprises

This year’s Zhongguancun Forum will focus on “Deep Integration of Scientific and Industrial Innovation.” What are the key work priorities and deployment plans for China in this area moving forward?

Lin Xin stated that to promote the integration of science and industry, the government has introduced a series of policies to facilitate the transformation of scientific achievements and encourage corporate R&D investment. Moving into a new era, promoting deep integration of scientific and industrial innovation requires grasping the new trends and characteristics of the latest technological revolution and industrial transformation, as well as the new demands for high-quality development. The approach should be guided by “technology innovation driven by industry needs and applications, and industrial innovation aimed at enhancing technological levels.” The scientific and industrial sectors must work together in both directions, planning, deploying, and promoting as one, to create a seamless pathway from technological strength to industrial strength, economic strength, and national strength.

Lin Xin emphasized that the next steps will focus on several measures. First, strengthening high-quality technological supply by accelerating major national science and technology projects, focusing on industry and enterprise needs to identify scientific issues, and integrating scientific research, technological development, product R&D, standard formulation, and industry cultivation into coordinated efforts. This will promote the integration of scientific research and industrial application.

Second, reinforcing the role of enterprises as innovation leaders by cultivating leading tech companies, supporting enterprises to undertake more R&D tasks, establishing industry-university-research joint ventures led by enterprises, encouraging large companies to open up research conditions and application scenarios to small and medium-sized enterprises, and accelerating the promotion and application of innovative products from SMEs to drive overall industry technological progress. Policies should be improved to attract innovation resources to enterprises, and mechanisms for the dual flow and mutual employment of universities, enterprises, and researchers should be established to motivate more talented scientists and entrepreneurs to innovate at the front lines of industry.

Third, promoting efficient transformation of scientific achievements by improving and implementing incentive policies for technology transfer, encouraging universities and research institutes to open up scientific data, instruments, and innovation platforms to enterprises, and supporting the construction of public service platforms for proof-of-concept and pilot testing to accelerate iteration and application of scientific results. Additionally, developing science and technology finance vigorously to provide diversified funding support, especially guiding long-term capital to invest early, small, long-term, and in hard tech.

Fourth, creating a market environment that incentivizes innovation by improving policies supporting the large-scale application of new technologies and products, supporting pilot projects in local areas, and encouraging local governments to expand application scenarios in government services and smart cities. Actively exploring new regulatory approaches such as sandbox regulation and trigger-based supervision to foster a favorable innovation ecosystem for emerging industries and future industries. Strengthening intellectual property protection and standardization efforts to cultivate a society that respects knowledge and creativity, supported by a robust legal environment.

In response to major technological tasks, emerging industries, and future industry cultivation, a comprehensive set of policies and measures will be introduced.

The Zhongguancun Forum is an important platform supporting the construction of an international science and technology innovation center. The 2025 Central Economic Work Conference proposed expanding Beijing’s international science and technology innovation center to include Jing-Jin-Ji. How will the Ministry of Science and Technology advance this?

Lin Xin pointed out that the Ministry of Science and Technology will work with relevant departments and local governments to jointly promote the construction of the Beijing (Jing-Jin-Ji) International Science and Technology Innovation Center. In strengthening regional coordination, Beijing will play a leading role. The plan is to use Zhongguancun as the main hub, with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei corridor as the backbone, and Tianjin Binhai New Area, Xiong’an New Area in Hebei, and Shijiazhuang as key support points to build a collaborative innovation network of “one platform, two corridors, three support points.” This involves jointly reviewing and planning innovation chains and industrial chains across the three areas, enhancing policy mutual recognition, resource sharing, platform co-construction, and joint research projects, to facilitate the free flow of innovation elements, leverage advantages, and collaboratively develop a world-class source of technological innovation.

Regarding central-local cooperation, policies will be intensified. Focus areas include strategic technological strength building, major technological infrastructure and platform deployment, major technological task arrangements, and emerging and future industries. A package of policies will be introduced to support these efforts. The plan is to support Jing-Jin-Ji in producing significant original results in fields such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine, commercial aerospace, and hydrogen energy, and to cultivate world-class industrial clusters.

“At the same time, we also emphasize local responsibility, encouraging local experimentation. Support will be given to Jing-Jin-Ji in integrated development of education, science, and talent, as well as in science and technology finance and open environment construction. Reforms in talent evaluation and research management will be deepened to build a comprehensive innovation support system,” Lin Xin said.