Sound bites

"Zhongguancun has made great improvements in technological innovation, but should promote the system reform at a higher level and a wider range. The mechanism to attract skilled people needs to be further aligned with the world. Policymakers should fully respect the rights of scientists and their professionalism, support research institutes with reasonable and stable funds and also allow them to have more rights to make decisions, such as the allocation of research resources and the control of human and financial resources. Also, the government should establish a professional-to-professional evaluation system and reduce administrative intervention."

Zhu Jiankang, an academician from the United States National Academy of Sciences and professor at Purdue University

"I specialize in new materials, including nanometer materials, and Zhongguancun now has the world's top technologies in this field, so I hope to have more cooperation and communication with Chinese counterparts. Zhongguancun has introduced many talented people through projects like the Thousand Talent Program, one of the central government's initiatives to attract experts from overseas. But, it still needs improvements. For example, some standards are so inflexible that they lose many truly talented young people and opinions from overseas experts should be taken into consideration more. Also, a rational management system and a fairer personnel-training system should also be introduced from abroad."