Beijing and Brussels host global innovators at ZGC Forum

The 2024 ZGC Forum in Beijing, held from 25-29 April, brought together top representatives from international scientific organisations, leading scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors. This event, which included a parallel forum in Brussels, Belgium, kicked off a series of activities exploring the frontiers of science and technology, delving into future industrial trends, and forging a consensus on the rules governing global innovation.

Under the annual theme "Innovating for a Better World", this year's forum was co-hosted by several Chinese entities: the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the China Association for Science and Technology, and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality.

Designed to facilitate the sharing of new ideas and development approaches, the ZGC Forum included participation from two IASP international board members.

Tom Bentley, President of the IASP Asia Pacific Division, spoke at the opening of the event in Beijing. He commended the collaborative efforts in scientific and technological advancement and underscored the importance of integrating innovation with local conditions to tackle global challenges. He also expressed appreciation for the contributions of China's science parks and special economic zones to this mission and looked forward to future partnerships and successes in fostering global innovation communities.

Meanwhile, IASP Vice President, Salvatore Majorana, attended a parallel ZGC Forum event in Brussels, Belgium. This parallel forum, organised by TusPark Belgium and the IASP member TusPark Europe Innovation Center, focused on building China-EU dialogue on advancing sustainable practices and technological innovations. Salvatore highlighted the pivotal role of green technologies in improving living standards through collaborative innovation and emphasised that the forum would be vital to understanding the next steps toward a safer and healthier planet.