Increased exchanges advised for progress

China will continue to promote international science and technology cooperation and wants to enhance innovation worldwide by increasing exchanges of scientists, resources, applications and entrepreneurs, experts said on Tuesday at the World Conference on Science Literacy in Beijing.

"International science and technology cooperation is playing an increasingly important role in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and China has high hopes in building the BRI into a road of innovation through that cooperation," said Chen Baoming, director of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development.

In 2017, it was made clear at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that innovation had become an important force in powering development. That idea added aspects to the initiative on top of trade and infrastructure, Chen said.

He said China's engagement in global science collaboration has been noticeable, adding that it has signed 110 related agreements, joined more than 200 intergovernmental organizations, sponsored more than 300 young scientists from developing countries to come to China to pursue their research and set up 22 joint laboratories under the framework of the BRI.

Cheng Donghong, president of the Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums, said the BRI provides a platform for science museums in different countries to share their resources and promote cooperation to embolden the public to engage with science.

"Our association, together with many domestic science museums, signed an agreement last year with many countries involved in the BRI, including Uzbekistan, Greece and Thailand, to share ideas and best practices and build a platform for the communication of scientific knowledge," Cheng said.

China has also organized an international training program on capacity-building for science museums worldwide, starting next month, as a dialogue with science engagement networks to allow the exchange of talent and experience, Cheng said.

"The development of the BRI has far exceeded its geographic scope over the years," said Chen, the technology development director. "Building a road of innovation is exploring a new way to achieve world economic growth."

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