China-Arab States Technology Transfer and Innovation Cooperation Conference 2017 was held in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on September 6, 2017 under the theme of “Innovation Cooperation and Win-Win Development”. The forum was co-sponsored by MOST and People‘s Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
 
The forum, which was an important part of China-Arab States Expo 2017, included a series of activities such as the High-level Forum on Innovation Cooperation, High-tech and Equipment Exhibition, Technology Achievements Promotion and Matching Conference, and created favorable opportunities for the exchange and communication between Chinese and Arab companies and institutions as well as regional technology transfer and innovation cooperation.
   
At the high-level forum held on September 6, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Huang Wei, Sudanese Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research El Tigani Mustafa Mohamed Salih, President of Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology Mahmoud Sakr, Charge d’Affaires of the Beijing Mission of the League of Arab States Mohammed Al-Shafee, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wang Jiyang attended and delivered keynote speeches. The forum was presided over by Vice Chairman of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Yao Aixing. Chairman of CPPCC Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee Qi Tongsheng and Vice Chairman of People‘s Congress of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Yuan Jinlin attended the forum. More than 500 delegates from governmental departments, industrial associations, universities, enterprises and institutions of China and Arab States were in the audience.
   
In his keynote speech, Vice Minister Huang Wei briefed the audience on China’s achievements in science, technology and innovation (STI) and the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan, and reviewed the progress made in regional innovation cooperation since the launch of the China-Arab Science and Technology Partnership Program. In order to further leverage the positive role of the Science and Technology Partnership Program in supporting the participating countries’ capacity building in science and technology as well as sustainable economic and social development in the region, Vice Minister Huang Wei put forward a number of proposals on China-Arab cooperation in STI, including strengthening people-to-people exchanges in science and technology, providing more opportunities for Arab States to take part in the“Talented Young Scientist Program”, building joint national laboratories and specialized S&T parks, and improving the integrated technical cooperation network covering both China and Arab States, to promote in-depth industry-university-research collaboration and integration.

In their keynote speeches, the foreign participants talked about S&T development of their countries and the League of Arab States as a whole, as well as the measures and initiatives taken to promote S&T cooperation with China and innovative development in the region. They welcomed the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan proposed by China and its four concrete actions, i.e. people-to-people exchange, joint laboratory, science parks and technology transfer, and expressed the willingness to actively participate in relevant efforts to promote cooperation in STI along the Belt and Road.
   
After the high-level forum, Vice Minister Huang Wei attended the signing ceremony with the dignitaries of Arab States and leading officials of People’s Government of Ningxia, and witnessed the signing of 20 key S&T cooperation agreements between China and Arab States.