On the sideline of the 2016 G20 Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers Meeting, the G20 Business Innovation Forum was held in Beijing on November 3. The forum was co-organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC). As an important supporting activity of the Ministers Meeting, the forum, themed on “Innovation in Science and Technology: Power of the Business Circle”, invited more than 200 entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from G20 members and invited countries. They had in-depth discussions on technology innovation, new industrial revolution, digital economy and other innovation-related issues.

Wang Zhigang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Jiang Zengwei, Chairman of B20 in 2016 and Chairman of CCPIT, Lino Baraňao, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Argentina, Shri Y. S. Chowdary, Minister of State for Ministry of Earth Sciences of India, Alvaro Prata, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil, and Antonello Giacometti, Vice Minister of Economic Development of Italy, attended the forum along with representatives from G20 members, invited countries and international organizations.

The 11th G20 Leaders Summit held in Hangzhou this year achieved fruitful results. For the first time, the Summit listed“Innovative Growth” as one of the key subjects of the G20, and formulated the G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth and the G20 Innovation Action Plan. The Ministers Meeting is an important event following the G20 Summit and reflects the responsibility and commitment of the Chinese business community.

Among the guest speakers at the forum were Wang Chunfa, Executive Secretary of China Association for Science and Technology, Xu Jinghong, Chairman of Tsinghua Holdings, Dirk Pilat, Deputy Director of the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, former Secretary-General of ASEAN and Chairman of GCEL Asia Advisory Board, Cai Rang, Chairman of China Iron & Steel Research Institute Group, Xing Wei, Chairman of China Putian Corporation, Ferdinand Jonkman, Vice President, Bank of Beijing, Pasi Nieminen, CEO of Link Motion, Matthew S. Kressy, Founder of the Integrated Design & Management program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Xiang Bing, Founding President of Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, and Liu Hong, Co-founder and COO of LETV.

The guests believed that innovative growth is a new way to stimulate the global economic recovery. The business sector hoped to achieve industrial upgrading through technology and promote sustainable development of the global economy.