Beijing's drive for transformation, innovation focuses on advanced industrial development in key areas

Beijing is aiming to strengthen its role as a national hub for industrial transformation and technological innovation by further boosting high-tech industries, according to Zhao Hong, deputy dean of the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.

The Third National Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week was held recently in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing.

Zhao said that the demonstration zone for high-tech enterprises has played a key role in promoting the city's economic growth, amid national strategies such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.

"Zhongguancun has implemented a series of pilot policies to attract high-end companies and enhance its innovative capabilities," Zhao said.

This year's entrepreneurship and innovation week served as a platform to display the latest technological achievements of high-tech companies in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, intelligent transportation systems and healthcare.

More than 260 companies showcased their projects at the exhibition, covering the advanced technology and industrial fields of AI, biotechnology, energy conservation and environmental protection, new materials, intelligent robots and Internet Plus.

Shu Chang, CEO of One Space Technology, which specializes in rocket techonology, said that with the coordination between mass entrepreneurship and innovation, and the integration of civilian and military resources, Chinese civil aviation possessed huge potential, providing new market opportunities for the space industry.

"We have made many innovative technological products," Shu said.

"The company has built a high-level team with technical professionals from such top-tier colleges as the Chinese Academies of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

"With the rapid development of China's innovative industries and the support of relevant policies, our mini rocket will be launched in the next year," Shu said.

Li Zhongxiang, chairman of Tsinghua Holdings, the technology investment arm of China's Tsinghua University in Zhongguancun, said that the government plays a major role backing up high-tech industries.

"There are many favorable policies that are crucial to industrial development, including introducing high-tech resources, facilitating skills and knowledge sharing among industries, and creating a network of innovative resources.

"As the comprehensive partner in China's innovation strategy, we have partnered with many innovative resources and industries," Li added.

He said Tsinghua Holdings aims to attract professionals and technologies from around the world and offer a platform for innovative industries.

Yizhuang zone

Over 262 creative products from 106 companies were displayed in Beijing's Yizhuang development zone, in an event held on the sidelines of the Third National Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week. As another core district for science and technology innovation in Beijing, the zone focuses on industrial transformation, innovation and entrepreneurship.

This year products, the industrial structure and government services, have been the main focus of the zone's supply-side structural reform to support companies.

Yizhuang has been involved in the synergistic development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and other major industrial projects.

A total of 40 companies in the zone have finalized their layouts in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, aiming to integrate policy, people exchanges and public services.

By 2020, the zone will build 20 technical innovation centers, one of the key initiatives to promote Beijing as a global network of scientific and technological innovation.

(China Daily 09/29/2017 page10)