Lin Xin, vice minister of science and know-how, and Jin Wei, vice mayor of Beijing, attend a press convention held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)
BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) — The 2026 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) will highlight the theme of “Full Integration Between Technological and Industrial Innovation,” an official with the Ministry of Science and Technology mentioned on Wednesday.
This yr’s ZGC Forum will likely be held in Beijing from March 25 to 29. More than 1,000 friends from over 100 nations and areas are anticipated to take part in the discussion board, which options greater than 100 occasions, Lin Xin, vice minister of science and know-how, mentioned at a press convention.
Main occasions will embody the opening ceremony and plenary session, parallel boards, achievement releases, the ZGC International Technology Trade Fair, and the Grand Final of the Zhongguancun International Advanced Technology Innovation Competition.
The 2026 discussion board will likely be characterised by 4 distinctive options. Firstly, it’ll emphasize the growth of the capital metropolis’s efforts to turn out to be a world science and know-how innovation heart by holding boards and releasing related insurance policies for deepening coordination amongst Beijing, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province, all positioned in north China, Lin mentioned.
Lin additionally famous that it’s going to stress the deep integration of technological innovation with industrial innovation by specializing in frontier fields resembling 6G, brain-computer interfaces, and cell and gene remedy.
The built-in development of training, science and know-how, and expertise cultivation can even be a key attribute of the 2026 discussion board, in accordance to Lin.
Additionally, this yr’s discussion board will emphasize high-level scientific and technological openness and cooperation, she added.
“The promotion of extensive artificial intelligence (AI) applications will also be highlighted at this year’s ZGC Forum,” mentioned Jin Wei, vice mayor of Beijing, on the press convention.
Jin added that contributors on the discussion board will expertise firsthand how the AI evolution is empowering numerous industries. For occasion, AI “interpreters” will likely be on obligation through the discussion board, increasing language companies from the earlier two languages of Chinese and English to eight languages, together with French, Russian and Spanish.
“Thereby, they can sustain seamless communication among participants from around the world,” he mentioned.
Jin disclosed {that a} robotic cafe will cater to discussion board contributors. “Last year, robots at the forum could only prepare coffee individually. This year, they will collaborate to provide meal sets. Additionally, a robot band will deliver captivating performances at this year’s forum.”
The 2026 discussion board is collectively organized by a number of Chinese authorities businesses, together with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Founded in 2007, this discussion board in Beijing has developed into a worldwide, complete, open and high-level worldwide occasion for enhancing world innovation in science and know-how. ■