Huairou Science City ups China's R&D cachet

In addition, the city is also home to 37 science facilities that span material, space, life, earth systems, and information and intelligence; 14 cross-disciplinary research platforms covering material genome research and advanced light source technology research and testing; as well as 17 foundational scientific and educational facilities, including an intelligent analysis and testing platform for new and emerging infectious disease vaccines and antibodies.

As of now, the construction of 29 facilities and platforms has already been completed, with 16 currently operational. The momentum has continued this year, with eight new facilities and platforms being introduced and some already commencing construction.

With such major science facilities put into use, a corresponding industrial system is also accelerating its construction in Huairou Science City, to translate such technological advances into application or commercialization.

In March, Beijing Chunfeng Pharmaceutical, a high-tech pharmaceutical group, expanded its second factory in Huairou Science City.

According to Li Yi, an executive of the pharmaceutical company, as a high-tech modern pharma group, the company is in urgent need of expansion and upgrading, and Huairou Science City offers "sound fertile soil".

Li said the company plans to develop a 70,000-square-meter project in the city, including an intelligent drug production workshop, an inspection center, a medical device achievement transformation center, an academician workstation and a traditional Chinese medicine culture exchange and exhibition center.

"Once completed, the project is also expected to boost the entire industry chain in the life sciences sector for Huairou Science City," Li said.

In order to convert scientific and technological achievements into applications or commercialization, Huairou Science City has been attracting more companies in the industry chain, especially in high-end science facilities and sensors, new energy and new materials as well as life sciences.

In the life sciences sector, for instance, the city has attracted 20 big biopharmaceutical companies or projects in the sector of medical imaging detection and pathological analysis, brain science and information science, and cell and gene therapies.