From December 1 to 3, 2020, the 16th Session of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) & International Symposium on Combating COVID-19 with Emerging Technologies was successfully held in Guangzhou. Vice Minister of Science and Technology Huang Wei and UNESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana delivered video welcome speeches to the event.
The event was co-hosted by the International Cooperation Department of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and APCTT, and organized by the Secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Regional Innovation Knowledge Network for 4th Industrial Revolution Technologies (APRIKNET-4IR) at Guangzhou University. Held both online and offline, the event provided an opportunity for sharing COVID-19 response experience of regional countries, increasing awareness of the latest technology trends and developments, and promoting application of emerging technologies in research on medicines, diagnostics and therapeutics. In the face of the opportunities presented by the new industrial revolution, the event aimed at facilitating cooperation in science, technology and innovation among Asia-Pacific countries and, contributing to their accelerated reopening and sustainable economic and social development. APRIKNET-4IR and its official website were unveiled during the event.

Mr. Chen Linhao, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department of MOST, Mr. Lao Zhihong, Deputy Director General of the Science and Technology Department of Guangdong Province, Ms. Michiko Enomoto, Head of APCTT, and dozens of heads and researchers from science and technology departments, universities, research institutes, tech-based companies and think tanks of Asia-Pacific countries attended the event.