On March 27, the 2026 Global High-Level Think Tank Forum for Science and Technology Innovation (hereinafter referred to as the "Think Tank Forum") was successfully held at the Zhongguancun Exhibition and Transfer Center. As one of the top ten brand forums of the ZGC Forum Annual Conference, this year's forum, themed "Innovation-Driven: New Pathways for Deep Integration of Scientific and Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation", closely followed the pulse of the times marked by the in-depth development of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. It gathered over 400 guests from global think tanks, scientific research institutions and industrial circles to jointly explore new mechanisms, pathways and models for the integration of science, technology and industry. The forum consisted of five sessions: orations, signing and plaque presentation ceremony of the ZGC Global High-Level Think Tank Alliance (hereinafter referred to as "ZGCTA"), release of achievements, keynote speeches and concluding remarks.

2026 Global High-Level Think Tank Forum for Science & Technology Innovation

Orations

Yan Aoshuang, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Vice President of Western Returned Scholars Association (Overseas-educated Scholars Association of China) and President of the Beijing Western Returned Scholars Association, and Li Chunjing, Deputy Director-General of the Department I of the Ministry of Science and Technology, attended the forum and delivered speeches.

Orations Session (I) - 2026 Global High-Level Think Tank Forum for Science & Technology

Orations Session (II) - 2026 Global High-Level Think Tank Forum for Sc0ience & Technology

Signing and Plaque Presentation

During the Signing and Plaque Presentation session, ZGCTA welcomed 13 new director units from 5 countries including China, Pakistan, South Africa, Portugal and Italy, expanding its director units to cover 102 think tank institutions across 19 countries and regions. At the International and Regional Cooperation Signing Ceremony, the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as "BJAST") signed strategic cooperation agreements with the Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing) and Social Sciences Academic Press respectively; ZGCTA signed Memorandums of Cooperation with the Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial Systems BRICS PartNIR and the Network for International Cooperation on Technology Commercialization. At the ZGCTA Plaque Presentation Ceremony of Innovation Centers, ZGCTA officially inaugurated the Germany International Innovation Center, South China Regional Innovation Center and Digital Economy Innovation Center (Xiamen). Representatives including Wu Jianmin, President of BJAST; Song Zhiwen, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice President of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Science and Technology; Han Shangfeng, Party Committee Secretary of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing); Ji Xiangde, Party Committee Secretary and President of Social Sciences Academic Press; Li Junkai, Secretary-General of ZGCTA; Sha Ming, Deputy Director of the Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial Systems BRICS PartNIR; Zhang Zhang, Executive Director of the Network for International Cooperation on Technology Commercialization; Aleksandar Jovanović, CEO of the Steinbeis EU-VRi - European Risk and Resilience Institute; and Fu Guanda, President of the Shenzhen Education and Training Institute of Public Administration, attended the Signing and Plaque Presentation ceremony.

ZGCTA Signing Ceremony for New Director Units

ZGCTA Signing Ceremony for International & Regional Cooperation

ZGCTA Innovation Center Plaque Presentation Ceremony

Release of Achievements

In the Release of Achievements session, the forum released a number of think tank achievements. First, Innovation for Enhanced Resilience and Sustainability along the Belt and Road Initiative, which focused on resilience and sustainable innovation issues in Belt and Road partner countries and regions and compiled research findings from experts and scholars from multiple countries. Second, Annual Report on Beijing International Cooperation for Science and Technology Development (2025), a flagship annual work of the capital's high-level think tanks, systematically sorted out Beijing's practices and achievements in international sci-tech cooperation, technology transfer, talent exchange and innovation ecosystem development, providing a "Beijing Plan" with both theoretical depth and practical reference for open cooperation in the global innovation network. Third, 48 outstanding achievements of ZGCTA in 2025, including 41 think tank research results and 7 scientific and technological achievements. These achievements focused on key areas such as digital economy, green development, future industries, sci-tech governance, regional coordination and international cooperation, covering strategic research like the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Innovation Index (2026) and China Energy Outlook 2025-2060, international cooperation outcomes including digital sovereignty of BRICS countries, Lancang-Mekong cross-border data cooperation and Belt and Road technology demonstration projects, as well as a number of new technologies, equipment and applications for industrial frontlines. The above achievements were released by Aleksandar Jovanović, Li Junkai and Lu Xiao, Vice President of the Institutes of Science and Technology Strategy Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences respectively, with recommendations delivered by Maggie Hu, Director of Government Affairs and Policy, Greater China, Springer Nature, and Ji Xiangde. Liu Hui, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of BJAST, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group and Deputy Director-General of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, presided over this session.

ZGCTA Release of Achievements Session

Keynote Speeches

In the Keynote Speeches session, Yu Dapeng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of the Shenzhen International Quantum Academy and Professor at the School of Physics at Peking University, systematically introduced the development trend of quantum information technology and its important role in promoting the integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation. Denis Simon, Chairman of Alliance of Global Talent Organizations, analyzed the trend of global talent system restructuring and discussed the key role of talent in supporting the integrated development of science, technology and industry. Allen Yang, Chairman of UC Berkeley ROAR program, Executive Director of FHL Vive Center for Enhanced Reality at UC Berkeley, and Co-Founder of Hitch Open World AI Championships, presented the latest progress and application prospects of embodied intelligence in spatial perception and learning capabilities. Arvea Marieni, Director of BEAM CUBE France, Expert of the European Commission, and Senior Advisor of WGD, elaborated on the application directions and development opportunities of clean AI and digital twin technologies in promoting green innovation and China-EU cooperation. Zhong Ruyao, Executive Director and Party Committee Secretary of Institute of Technology and Economics, CHN Energy, introduced the practical pathways for the integrated development of sci-tech innovation and industry in the energy sector and their supporting role in green and low-carbon transformation. Vincenzo Lipardi, President and Co-founder of SPICI-Company for Innovation, Cooperation and Internationalization, shared experiences in building innovation ecosystems and explored the pathways to achieve coordinated development of science, technology, industry and cities. Wu Huimin, Executive Director of China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC) Global Institute and Executive Head of Research Department of CICC, revealed the internal logic and practical approaches of financial empowerment for the integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation. Zheng Xin, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice President of BJAST, presided over this session.

Keynote Speeches Session

In the Concluding Remarks session, Feng Chujian, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, pointed out that this Think Tank Forum demonstrated three characteristics: first, closely following the pulse of the times to jointly explore new integration pathways; second, showing an open mind to build new international consensus; third, adhering to a pragmatic orientation while achieving new cooperation outcomes. He expressed the expectation that all parties would take this forum as a new starting point to continuously deepen exchanges and cooperation, and jointly contribute more wisdom and strength to promoting high-quality regional development, serving national development strategies and building a mutually beneficial and win-win global innovation ecosystem.

Moderation & Concluding Remarks Session

The 2026 Global High-Level Think Tank Forum for Science and Technology Innovation was hosted by the BJAST, ZGCTA, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Innovation Strategy, China Association for Science and Technology, and co-organized by the Alliance of Global Talent Organizations, Institute of Technology and Economics CHN Energy, and Shandong Academy of Social Sciences.