Exploring opportunities for international cooperation and artificial intelligence applications, Zhongguancun Forum focuses on the implementation of cutting-edge technologies

Source: Global Times

【Global Times Reporters Ni Hao, Yang Shuyu, Wang Yi, Yin Yeping】The 2026 Zhongguancun Forum annual conference opened on the 25th. This year’s forum, themed “Deep Integration of Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation,” attracted thousands of guests from over 100 countries and regions. Among the various activities at this year’s annual conference, the China-South Korea Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum held on the 26th became an important reflection of focusing on cutting-edge technology implementation and deepening international technology cooperation.

China and South Korea Robot Companies Joint Roadshow

Currently, global embodied intelligence is at a critical stage of technological breakthroughs and industrial integration, becoming a new race in the development of the global artificial intelligence industry. At this forum, the roadshow segment participated by embodied intelligence companies from China and South Korea became a highlight, with 12 Chinese and South Korean companies showcasing cutting-edge technologies and application scenarios together.

A representative from AidAll, a South Korean company specializing in navigation robots for visually impaired individuals, stated during the roadshow that the elderly and visually impaired populations in both Korea and China have been on the rise in recent years. In the future, intelligent humanoid robots are expected to help these individuals solve problems that guide dogs cannot address. Kim Tae-yong, head of South Korean embodied intelligence platform company ROVIGOS, stated that the company has already established cooperation with Chinese e-commerce platforms and humanoid robot companies. “China has very good robot technology and robot products, and we want to connect these resources with our platform system to maximize benefits.”

The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported on the 26th that South Korea sent several experts in the field of artificial intelligence to participate in this forum. Kim Jong-mun, a representative of the South Korean Innovation Center in China, stated that this forum goes beyond simple technical exchanges, and the common strategies and competitive advantages that both countries face in the era of embodied intelligence were fully discussed. The South Korean Innovation Center in China will connect promising startups, large enterprises, and research institutions to facilitate feasible cooperation projects.

Park Yun-kyu, head of the Korean Institute for Information and Communication Technology Promotion, stated that in the field of embodied intelligence, China and South Korea can leverage their respective advantages and compensate for shortcomings to strengthen cooperation. Kim Jeon-dong, the economic minister at the South Korean Embassy in China, believes that embodied intelligence is not only a technological advancement but also a new industrial revolution that transforms industrial structures and human life. As manufacturing powerhouses and leaders in information and communication technology, China and South Korea can create synergy in enhancing global standards and technological stability through cooperation.

“China is Playing a Stronger Leading and Driving Role”

Chen Jun, head of the secretariat of the China-Japan-Korea Innovation Cooperation Center, stated in an interview with Global Times reporters that currently, China and South Korea are jointly embracing a new round of technological transformation, and the cooperation model between the two sides has undergone profound adjustments. “In the early years, we exchanged market access for technology and introduced foreign capital; now, many of our enterprises are also going abroad to explore the South Korean market.” Chen Jun stated that industries like artificial intelligence are key areas of mutual focus for China and South Korea, and there is a consensus on mitigating R&D pressure through cooperation. “By jointly tackling challenges, we can reduce R&D costs, which will subsequently lower product costs, allowing us to better adapt to the market.” In his view, there are currently three core approaches to China-South Korea cooperation: first, organizing joint efforts in cutting-edge technologies; second, promoting bidirectional transformation of scientific and technological achievements; and third, serving innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Currently, the underlying logic of economic and technological cooperation between China and South Korea has undergone profound changes, and China has taken a leading position in multiple fields. As a major technological and economic power, China is playing a stronger leading and driving role.” Joo Yong-woo, a consultant for the China-Japan-Korea Innovation Cooperation Center and a visiting professor at Jiangsu University, stated in an interview with Global Times reporters that exchanges between China and South Korea in the field of industrial technology are entering a new phase, with both sides having enormous complementary space in cutting-edge fields like embodied intelligence and new energy. In the face of a new global economic landscape, China and South Korea should actively build a high-level interaction model that includes both cooperation and competition. He stated that China has significant advantages in the supply chain of robot components, large-scale manufacturing support, and technological transformation trends, and if South Korean companies can effectively utilize China’s comprehensive manufacturing system and rapidly evolving technological environment, they will achieve more efficient development.

New Growth Momentum Emerges in Future Industries

Brain-computer interfaces are one of the world’s cutting-edge technological hotspots, reshaping various fields such as medical rehabilitation and industrial safety, and promoting further societal development. At the Zhongguancun Forum exhibition center, Beijing Zhiran Medical Technology Company showcased two latest research achievements of invasive brain-computer interfaces that have entered the clinical stage. “The application of these brain-computer interface research achievements can help patients with motor function disorders caused by high-level paraplegia, ALS, and strokes achieve partial functional reconstruction and replacement, enabling patients to flexibly and effectively control external devices, including computers, smartphones, prosthetics, and wheelchairs, thereby enhancing their self-care ability, quality of life, and social participation.” The company’s founder and CEO, Song Qi, told Global Times reporters that with further application of technology, in the future, brain-computer interfaces can achieve high-speed information transfer between humans and machines, becoming a key link in human-machine integration and coexistence.

Jia Kang, founder and director of the New Supply Economics Research Institute, expressed in an interview with Global Times during the Zhongguancun Forum that emerging pillar industries and various commercial application scenarios of future industries were showcased in panoramic views across the forum venues, reflecting the grand picture of China’s continuously growing new productive forces. Jia Kang stated, “Today’s cutting-edge technology and future industries will become China’s emerging pillar industries through continuous industrialization, which also means that new growth momentum for China’s economy is continuously emerging. This will be an important driving force for China to achieve its main economic and social development goals during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.”