On July 8, 2014, the fifth China-US Innovation Dialogue was held in Beijing. Minister Wan Gang and Dr. John Holdren, Assistant to President Obama for Science and Technology presided over the event. Representatives of governmental bodies, enterprises, and the research community attended the dialogue and delivered speeches.
In the opening remarks, Minister Wan said that since 2010 the two sides had deepened mutual understanding through the innovation dialogue, established rules, conducted cooperation, and reached agreement in many aspects. Close ties have been formed in many fields, including the flow of knowledge and technology, and agreement on economic and trade relations as well as social progress. Faced with pressing challenges of global climate change and energy shortage, the two sides recognized the importance of scientific and technological exchanges. Minister Wan expressed that the Chinese government was dedicated to developing a more open and more tolerant environment for scientific and technological innovation and emphasized international collaboration in this field.
Dr. Holdren believed that the innovation dialogue had deepened mutual understanding and clarified positions, enabling the two sides to seek common ground in innovation policies and share the best practices. He introduced to the audience the experiences and practices of the US government in organizing important interagency scientific research programs, including the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI) and the Brain Initiative.
The delegates of the two sides exchanged views on the experiences and challenges in inter-agency innovation policy development, supporting innovation through government financial and other incentives, creating a strong ecosystem for biopharmaceutical innovation and collaboration, and the smart infrastructure for urbanization. The delegates were also briefed by the joint expert group of the innovation dialogue. The deliverables of this innovation dialogue were later reported to the sixth round of China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
On the Chinese side, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Cao Jianlin, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Mao Weiming, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Zheng Zeguang, Assistant Minister of Commerce Zhang Xiangchen, Vice-Commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office He Zhiming and representatives from National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Food and Drug Administration, and Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the US Li Chaochen attended the meeting. On the American side, American Ambassador to China Max Baucus, Under Secretary of US Department of State Catherine A. Novelli, Under Secretary of US Department of Commerce Stefan M. Selig, Director of US Trade and Development Agency Leocadia I. Zak and representatives from Department of Treasury, Department of Energy, US International Trade Commission, and Office of the US Trade Representative attended the meeting.