Increased exchanges advised for progress

China will continue to promote international science and technology cooperation and wants to enhance innovation worldwide by increasing exchanges of scientists, resources, applications and entrepreneurs, experts said on Tuesday at the World Conference on Science Literacy in Beijing.

"International science and technology cooperation is playing an increasingly important role in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and China has high hopes in building the BRI into a road of innovation through that cooperation," said Chen Baoming, director of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development.

In 2017, it was made clear at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that innovation had become an important force in powering development. That idea added aspects to the initiative on top of trade and infrastructure, Chen said.