On December 6, 2017, the China-UK Science and Innovation Forum: Shaping the Golden Era Together was held at the Royal Society in London. Jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of the UK, the event was an important part of the Fifth Meeting of the China-UK High-Level People-to-People Dialogue. Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of the State Council, Wang Zhigang, Party Secretary & Vice Minister of Science and Technology of China, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation of the UK attended the Forum and visited the China-UK Science and Technology Innovation Achievements Exhibition.

In his address, Wang Zhigang said that China puts science and technology innovation at the center of its national development. After the 19th Party Congress, science and technology innovation in China will embrace better and greater opportunities for development. China will firmly adopt the path of innovation-driven development and firmly rely on science and technology innovation to continuously raise the level of its economic and social development and improve people’s livelihood and the environment. China will continue to adhere to the principles of openness, innovation and inclusiveness and reciprocity in its science and technology innovation. China is willing to enhance cooperation and exchanges with the science and technology circles of all countries in the world, including the British science and technology circles. The China-UK Joint Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation is the first such strategy which China has released with another country. The two sides have put forward the measures of “improving bilateral cooperation mechanisms, implementing flagship challenge cooperation programs and setting up platforms for innovation” to support cooperation across the entire chain from research to industrialization and push forward the establishment of a Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and the UK for the 21st Century. The strategy also marks the opening of a new era in the China-UK cooperation in science and technology innovation.

In his address to the Forum, Prince Andrew welcomed the participation of representatives from the governments and research and industry circles of the two countries. He said that he will continue to follow up with innovations and developments in the two countries and support bilateral cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship. In his address, Minister of State Johnson acknowledged the important achievements made by the two countries in their cooperation in science and technology innovation in the past 40 years. He expressed the hope that the two countries should take the release of the China-UK Joint Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation as a new starting point, further boost their close research cooperation and work together to tackle global challenges.         

The Forum brought some 300 people together, including senior government officials, university presidents, academicians, Nobel Prize winners and senior entrepreneurs. At the Forum, the general strategy coordinators of the two sides made guiding speeches on the significance and content of the China-UK Joint Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation. Six representatives from industries, academia and research circles of both countries held thematic discussions on strategic topics of common interest, including China-UK cooperation in science and technology innovation, promotion of a new round of science and technology revolution, China and the UK working together to address global issues, and promoting efforts to turn China and UK research results into innovative and economic achievements. The panelists also interacted with the audience to discuss China-UK cooperation in science and technology innovation in the future.