Photo 1. At the forum

From October 15 to 16, 2024, the International Forum on Gathering Wisdom on Scientific and Technological Innovation and the Director-General Meeting of ZGC Global High-level Think Tank Alliance” was held in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. The hosts of the forum are Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, ZGC Global High-Level Think Tank Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the Think Tank Alliance), Beijing Academy of Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as BAJST or the Academy), Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Harbin New District Management Committee and Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee. The forum was organized by the High Technology Research Institute of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences and the Center for International and Regional Cooperation of Beijing Academy of Science and Technology. This forum aims to bring together the wisdom on scientific and technological innovation and promote international cooperation and exchanges in science and technology. More than 150 people attended the event, including experts from think tanks, as well as scholars and entrepreneur representatives from Director Units of the Think Tank Alliance, universities and research institutes in seven countries including China, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Serbia and India.

Photo 2. Group photo of the representatives

At the main forum, Liu Chunyan, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, Wu Jianmin, President of Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and Chairman of the Think Tank Alliance, Rudenko Viktor Nikolaevich, Academician of the Russia Academy of Sciences, and Shi Zhaohui, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Heilongjiang Province, delivered speeches successively. Xie Dagang, Vice President of the Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, presided over the meeting.

Photo 3. Guest speakers

Photo 4. The moderator

In his speech, Wu Jianmin introduced the mission and development of the Think Tank Alliance, and he looked forward to further expanding cooperation and exchanges, promoting the construction of high-level science and technology think tanks, and enabling science and technology to play the leading role in a better way. He pointed out that, since its establishment in September 2020, the Think Tank Alliance has always adhered to the mission of "Gathering global wisdom and serving innovation and development", and it is committed to promoting in-depth cooperation and exchanges among global think tanks. As the initiator and Director-General Unit of the alliance, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology actively supports the development of the Think Tank Alliance, works hand in hand with the members of the alliance to explore the unknown areas of scientific and technological innovation, jointly enhance the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation from the aspects of think tank research, political advice, and achievement transformation, so as to help develop new intelligent productive forces, as well as to contribute to the prosperity of the global tech ecosystem.

In the awarding ceremony of the main forum, Wu Jianmin, on behalf of the Think Tank Alliance, awarded plaques to the new Vice Director-General Unit Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences and the newly joined 23 Director Units. Li Junkai, Secretary-General of the Think Tank Alliance and Director of the Center for International and Regional Cooperation of Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, presided over the awarding ceremony.

Photo 5. Awarding ceremony for the new Vice Director-General Unit

Photo 6. Awarding ceremony for the admission of new Director Units

The section of keynote speeches was co-chaired by Li Junkai and Yang Zhihong, Director of the National Academy of Innovation Strategy. Ten experts and scholars, including Wu Jianmin, from domestic and foreign government agencies and scientific research institutions made keynote speeches. The other nine scholars are: the CEO of European Risk & Resilience Institute Management (Steinbeis EU-VRi) Aleksandar JOVANOVIĆ;Academician of the Russia Academy of Sciences, Vice President of the Academy of Russia Sciences and President of the Ural Branch of the Russia Academy of Sciences Rudenko·Viktor Nikolaevich, General Manager of the Institute of Technology and Economics of the CHN Energy Investment Group Wang Wenjie, Director of Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia Nenad Filippovich. Their speeches focused on the construction and development of global think tanks, as well as on the international cooperation in science and technology, the "Belt and Road" cooperation and construction, international cutting-edge science and technology and the science and technology development of Heilongjiang. They exchanged and shared experience and scientific research achievements, looked for cooperation opportunities, and sought development consensus.

Photo 7. The guests for keynote reports

Wu Jianmin made a keynote report entitled "The Development Status of Global Science and Technology Think Tanks and Suggestions for International Cooperation", which elaborated on the number and distribution of global think tanks, the main types of science and technology think tanks, the current situation and problems, research and estimation of development trend, experience summary and enlightenment, the topics concerned by science and technology think tanks, and suggestions for international cooperation. He also put forward five policy suggestions to promote international cooperation of science and technology think tanks, namely: to value the important strategic role of international cooperation of science and technology think tanks; to continue to optimize their institutional management design of international cooperation; to accelerate the talent exchange program to promote the international cooperation of science and technology think tanks; to encourage and support the construction of international brands and platforms of science and technology think tanks; to promote the matching of science and technology support policies and the needs of international cooperation.

There were two parallel forums of the conference: "China-Russian International Science and Technology Cooperation Wisdom Forum" and the "Director-General Meeting". Experts and scholars at the meeting exchanged views on scientific and technological innovation, as well as on the construction of think tanks, development of the Think Tank Alliance, and international scientific and technological cooperation.

Photo 8. The Director-General Meeting of the Think Tank Alliance

The Director-General Meeting of ZGC Global High-level Think Tank Alliance was held in a cordial atmosphere. Han Tao, Director of the Science and Technology Management Division of National Science Library of China Academy of Sciences, presided over the meeting. Liu Jin, President of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, delivered a speech. He pointed out that the Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences will seek cooperation opportunities with Director Units of the Think Tank Alliance and build consensus on development in three aspects: first, to focus on scientific and technological innovation and strengthen the construction of science and technology think tanks; second, to focus on the transformation of achievements and help regional economic development; The third is to focus on open cooperation and expand the influence of the brand of the Think Tank Alliance.

Photo 9. Guest speakers of the Director-General Meeting of the Think Tank Alliance

Photo 10. The moderator of the Director-General Meeting and the Secretary-General of the Think Tank Alliance made work reports

Li Junkai gave a report on 2024 Annual Work Summary and 2025 Annual Work Plan of the Think Tank Alliance. By voting through electronic communication in the early stage, the alliance admitted new Director Units and selected new Vice Director-General Unit in 2024 at the meeting. The Think Tank Alliance has developed into a non-governmental multilateral exchange and cooperation platform composed of 95 high-level think tanks from 16 countries at home and abroad. She pointed out that in 2024, the Think Tank Alliance had made important progress in five aspects as follows: It gathered global high-level think tank resources and improved the multilateral exchange and cooperation platform; It deepened the brand campaign series and expanded the international network of scientific and technological innovation; It publicized the research outcomes of the Director Units and promoted cross-field research cooperation; It expanded the dimension of non-governmental international exchanges and enhanced the international influence of the Think Tank Alliance; We have improved the publicity and display platform system and served innovation and cooperation of Director Units. In 2025, the Think Tank Alliance will continue to practice the principle of "Gathering global wisdom and serving innovation and development". It will make efforts in four aspects: gathering high-level resources to build an international innovation center; boosting branding campaigns and expanding international influence; enhancing joint research to improve the user engagement and activity of the platform; optimizing the management mechanism, improving the service efficiency of the Think Tank Alliance, and further promoting the exchange, cooperation and collaborative innovation of domestic and foreign think tanks.

At the meeting, the following 6 heads and scholars made keynote reports on the development of science and technology, the construction of think tanks, international cooperation, and the high-quality development of science and technology: Liu Jianrong, Vice President of the Gansu Academy of Sciences, Hideyuki Yamaguchi, Chief Representative of Japan Society for the promotion of Science Beijing Representative Office, Chen Ling, Vice President of the Xinjiang Academy of Science and Technology for Development, Dobrivoje Lale Eric, Head of the Center for the Promotion of Science, Republic of Serbia, Lu Yangxu, Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Technology for Development, and Ash Narain Roy, President of the Institute of Social Sciences,New Delhi of India. They shared experience and learned from each other.

Photo 11. Guest speakers of Keynote reports at the Director-General Meeting of the Think Tank Alliance

Li Junkai presided over the section for roundtable discussion. Representatives of the 13 Director Units spoke freely about the construction of think tanks, construction and international cooperation of the Think Tank Alliance, and they had a brainstorm on formulation of macro policies, supply of science and technology sources, and project matching of supply and demand for achievement transformation. In the section of free exchange, many representatives of members of the Think Tank Alliance have expressed that, relying on the think tank alliance platform, they will gather more resources at home and abroad, promote and make plans for scientific and technological innovation from a global perspective, and strengthen cooperation on scientific and technological innovation in an all-round way.

Photo 12. Guest speakers of roundtable discussion at the Director-General Meeting of the Think Tank Alliance

In Wu Jianmin’s closing speech, he summed up four insights in four sentences. First, thought is power. He quoted four famous sentences from ancient Chinese poems to summarize the achievements of this forum: "How can the pool be so clear and cool? For flowing water inflows from its source.” This metaphorically described the forum has brought new knowledge; "Endless mountains and rivers that leave doubt whether there is a path out, after the shade of a willow and bright flowers, one encounters a lovely village." It means the forum has brought new inspiration; "A crane flying high into the clear sky up the clouds, poetic feelings are brought to the blue sky." It means the forum has brought new visions; "A single flower’s blossom does not represent spring, and various flowers’ blossom makes the garden full of spring.” It implies the forum will bring new cooperation. The insights and countermeasures put forward by experts and scholars have provided us with clearer perspectives on the global development trend of science and technology, and also laid a solid foundation for deepening international science and technology cooperation. Second, cooperation is our pursuit. As “the sea is inclusive to all rivers”, with the support of the Director Units, the Think Tank Alliance has continued to grow and develop, and expanded the "circle of friends"  larger, becoming an important platform for international scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges. Only through open communication can we promote development; Only by bouncing ideas can we make progress together; Only by sharing resources can we win advantages. Third, we have a strong sense of responsibility. As the Director-General Unit, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology realized its great responsibility. It will wholeheartedly provide services to Director Units and guarantee their rights and interests, and jointly promote the Think Tank Alliance to play a greater role in the construction of new types of think tanks with Chinese characteristics. Fourth, your concern gets our blessing. I wish all the Director Units greater prosperity in the future development, jointly promote international exchanges and cooperation in science and culture, and look forward to working hand in hand with you to shape a more brilliant future jointly.

The conference integrates academic seminars, work exchanges, and field investigations" as a whole, combining theory and practice in a coordinated manner. On October 16, the representatives of the forum and of the Director Units of the Think Tank Alliance conducted field investigations at three scientific and technological innovation enterprises: Harbin Wanxin Graphite Valley Tech Co., Ltd., Harbin Tongchuang Purun Group Co., Ltd. and Heilongjiang Huida Technology Co., Ltd. Through field investigations, the representatives of the alliance members learned about the scientific and technological innovation, emerging industries, and market expansion of Harbin.

Photo 13. Representatives investigated and visited 3 scientific and technological innovation enterprises in Harbin

(Text and Photos by the Center for International and Regional Cooperation of the BJAST and Institute for Advanced Technology of Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences)