To build a world science and technology powerhouse, we must adhere to international exchanges and cooperation

Published by China International Science and Technology Exchange Center on December 19, 2023 at 06:55 in Beijing

At the first "the Belt and Road" Science and Technology Exchange Conference held recently, China put forward the Initiative for International Science and Technology Cooperation for the first time, advocating and practicing the concept of open, fair, just and non discriminatory international science and technology cooperation, adhering to the principle that "science has no borders and benefits all mankind", and working together to build a global science and technology community.

Currently, the global community is facing significant challenges such as climate change, public health, ecological environment, and technological breakthroughs. Technological innovation is becoming increasingly important in addressing major global challenges. Looking towards the future, we must fully utilize global technological innovation resources, deepen international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, further enhance the flexibility and inclusiveness of scientific and technological policies, and accelerate the construction of a world science and technology powerhouse.

China has a solid foundation for international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation

Adhering to international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, extensively funding scientific research projects for international cooperation, and building a global scientific and technological innovation network are important paths for many developed countries to enhance their international discourse power in science and technology, technological innovation level, and even national prosperity and strength. Looking back at the evolution of the international landscape since modern times, the United States has been catching up with Britain and France since the late 19th century, Germany and Japan have been catching up with the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union since World War II, and emerging economies in the Asia Pacific region have been catching up with traditional developed economies since the latter half of the 20th century, all vividly reflecting this.

In fact, China has a solid foundation in conducting international scientific and technological cooperation. In recent years, China's ability to support high-level international scientific and technological cooperation and build a global scientific and technological innovation community has continuously improved, and its research infrastructure conditions are on par with the world's top level. According to the Statistical Bulletin on National Science and Technology Investment in 2022, a total of 3078.29 billion yuan was invested in R&D, an increase of 282.66 billion yuan or 10.1% compared to the previous year; The intensity of R&D funding investment is 2.54%, an increase of 0.11 percentage points from the previous year; Among them, the national basic research funding is 202.35 billion yuan, an increase of 11.4% compared to the previous year. The investment in science and technology funding continues to increase, and the intensity of R&D funding has been increasing year by year.

At present, China has become the second largest R&D expenditure country in the world after the United States, accounting for about 20% of the total R&D expenditure of countries around the world. It has the foundation to support high-level international scientific research cooperation. In terms of international big science cooperation, China actively participates in a number of iconic international big science programs such as the International Thermonuclear Fusion Experimental Reactor (ITER) program and the Human Genome Project (HGP), and takes the lead in implementing a series of international big science programs such as Deep Time Digital Earth (DDE) and Human Proteome Navigation (π - HuB). In terms of major technological infrastructure, China has planned to build China's Tianyan (FAST), National Supercomputing Shenzhen Center, Fourth Generation Synchrotron Radiation Light Source, Ground Space Station, Heavy Ion Accelerator Cooling Storage Ring, and is currently constructing and planning facilities such as Shanghai Hard X-ray Free Electron Laser (SHINE) and Shenzhen Zhongneng High Repetitive Frequency X-ray Free Electron Laser (S3FEL) Future high-energy circular electron positron collider (CEPC), etc.

Relying on major scientific and technological infrastructure, many landmark new achievements are emerging. For example, the nuclear mass measurement team of the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences accurately measured the mass of a number of key atomic nuclei based on the cooling storage ring of the heavy ion accelerator, revealing the properties of some neutron stars. In terms of paper output, in the past five years, the number of highly cited papers in some basic disciplines such as mathematics and chemistry has surpassed the United States, becoming the world's first, while many other disciplines have remained in second place, only behind the United States. In summary, it can be seen that China has the ability and foundation to support high-level international scientific and technological cooperation and build a global scientific and technological innovation community.

At the same time, we should also see that on the journey towards becoming a world technology powerhouse, China still faces some problems, and there is still a gap in the high-quality supply of technology for industrial transformation and upgrading. Therefore, China should adhere to an open attitude, engage in in-depth international exchanges with countries around the world, jointly build infrastructure, share investment risks, and share innovative achievements.

Make efforts in three aspects to deepen international exchanges and cooperation

Accelerating the construction of a world science and technology powerhouse requires further deepening international exchanges and cooperation. Therefore, it is necessary to fully leverage the role of policies in driving and guiding international exchanges and cooperation, and design policies from three aspects: financial support, platform openness, and property rights protection.

One is to establish special funding funds in key areas to support high-level international cooperative research. Implement the "Key Field Research Community Plan" and establish an annual special funding fund of 30-50 billion yuan for key field research communities. At the same time, relevant technology leading enterprises are introduced to jointly invest, and local science and technology plans are leveraged to provide supporting investment, thereby achieving the cultivation and continuous follow-up of academic teams in key areas, strengthening technological accumulation and forward-looking layout.

The second is to build and improve a global technology cooperation network, accelerate collaborative openness and innovation spillover. In addition to involving national defense and strategic core interests, relying on national key laboratories, major scientific research infrastructure, etc., actively launching international big science plans and big science projects, attracting top overseas universities, research and development institutions, and even high-tech enterprises to participate in construction and use, and encouraging open innovation. Encourage domestic enterprises to engage in cross-border scientific and technological innovation cooperation, build overseas innovation enclaves, and activate the market-oriented operation vitality of cooperative research and development institutions by relaxing fiscal and tax regulations.

Thirdly, we should strengthen intellectual property protection and create an institutional and open cooperation environment. Intellectual property protection is the foundation for comprehensively deepening international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation. It is necessary to comprehensively improve the legal system for intellectual property protection and promote the establishment of a healthy and sustainable international scientific and technological cooperation and exchange mechanism. Building an international platform for scientific and technological innovation cooperation and exchange, actively promoting China's policies and regulations on the ownership and distribution of scientific and technological achievements through top scientists forums and other activities, authoritative interpretation of detailed implementation methods of relevant policies, and solving the worries of international scientific research platform cooperation research. Establish a standardized management service mechanism, especially improve the international financial research funding management system, facilitate the entire process of research funding application, approval, use, and settlement, and ensure the safe and orderly flow of funds.

We should stand at the historical height of win-win development and collective intelligence, follow the historical logic of synchronous realization of technological progress, opening up to the outside world, and the rise of major powers, and gather high-level innovative resources from around the world with a more open mindset. At the same time, we must also provide comprehensive technological solutions to address major global challenges and further develop human society, and build a global community of shared future for scientific and technological innovation.

Wei Jiang, the author is the Deputy Secretary and Vice President of the Party Committee of Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, and the Vice President of the China Institute of Science and Education Strategy at Zhejiang University