New Quality Productive Forces emphasized at CAST Annual Meeting
updated: 2024-07-04 09:20:13

The 26th Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) kicked off on July 2 in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.


Wan Gang, president of CAST, and Liu Ning, secretary of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Committee addressed the main forum. The main forum was presided over by He Junke, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group, executive president, and chief executive secretary of the Secretariat of the CAST, along with Xiang Qiao, vice president of CAST and deputy general manager of AERO Engine Corporation of China.


Wan Gang emphasized in his address that this year's meeting serves as a practical initiative to implement the spirit of the national sci-tech conference.


He expressed hope that CAST would further promote sci-tech innovation, enhance synergy and coordination, pool high-end professionals and wisdom extensively, and advance openness and cooperation to support the development of new quality productive forces and create an innovation ecosystem for them.


Guangxi has consistently focused on the primary task of high-quality development and the strategic mission of building a new development paradigm, tailoring the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions. Wan emphasized that the Annual Meeting is expected to give full play to its advantages in cross-sector integration to bolster Guangxi's high-quality development.


Liu Ning noted in his address that he hopes the meeting will serve as an opportunity to draw more high-level talent to expand their undertakings and implement sci-tech projects in Guangxi, in a bid to speed up the construction of Guangxi as an innovative hub, and jointly contribute to building China into a world leader in science and technology.


At the main forum, CAST unveiled the major scientific issues, engineering and industrial technology challenges for 2024, as well as the “Innovation China” List. Bai Chunli, a CAS academician and chairman of the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions, Xue Qikun, a standing committee member of CAST and president of Southern University of Science and Technology, Bao Xinhe, president of the University of Science and Technology of China, Chen Zhongyue, chairman and Party secretary of China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd., and Zhu Meifang, dean of the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Donghua University, delivered keynote reports respectively.


The main forum drew the participation of nearly 1000 representatives from relevant government departments and central enterprises, sci-tech professionals from research institutions, universities and national societies, and media reporters.


Themed "Cultivating new quality productive forces and supporting high-level sci-tech self-reliance and strength", this year's meeting includes six sections: a main forum, thematic forums, parallel forums, Beijing Academic Week, "Innovation China" Guangxi Tour, and online science popularization events, featuring a total of 24 activities.


Source: Official WeChat account of the CAST, VOC