Science forum stresses cooperation

The Chinese scientific community will continue to be a promoter of openness and cooperation, a participant of the global governance of science and technology, and a contributor to innovation and development, according to participants in the fourth World Science and Technology Development Forum.

Over 300 experts and representatives, including seven Nobel laureates, will participate in the event, which began on Sunday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, and will continue on Monday.

Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology, said in the opening ceremony that the Chinese scientific community will open a new era of sharing, openness and cooperation, and make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Hou Jianguo, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that achieving sustainable development is a key topic for all humanity. "No country can stand aloof on the sidelines; we must enhance research efforts and tackle this issue together," he said.

Scientific and technological innovations can play an important supporting role in solving major challenges and promoting development, Hou said, urging the international scientific community to join forces and create new innovations that can improve the lives and wellbeing of people around the world.

Christopher Pissarides, co-recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, said that within the last decade, China has made considerable progress, going from an industrial economy with a heavy focus on labor-intensive manufacturing to a highly modern and digital economy now.

Pissarides said that China has done a great job of providing ample opportunities and conditions for scientists and engineers to be productive and successful, so therefore more Chinese scholars and overseas students are willing to return home.

Yang Jie, chairman and executive director of China Mobile, said that digital and information technologies will be the drivers for the next generation of scientific and technological revolution.

"Leading tech companies are a key part of a country's strategic research capacity and should focus on solving fundamental issues related to a nation's security and development," he said.

Wang Chen, a noted physician and vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the future of healthcare should be "One Health", an integrated, unifying approach that aims to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

"One Health has become a popular concept in the global medical and public health community, but it actually has roots in Chinese culture," he said. "Medicine is the culmination of human learning for the ultimate well-being of mankind, and this is the core behind the idea of building a global community of health for all."