High-tech innovation conference in Tianjin releases industry-science integration initiative

(ECNS) -- The 2nd (2026) High-Tech Innovation and Development Conference opened Thursday at the National Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin, drawing more than 20 academicians and over 100 experts and scholars.

The conference released the "Tianjin Initiative for Industry-Science Integration" and a list of the "Top 10 Scientific and Technological Issues in High-Tech Fields," spanning materials, manufacturing and information technology.

The initiative calls for a mechanism linking laboratories to production lines, built on the principle that enterprises pose the questions, researchers supply the answers, the market judges the results and industries put them into use. It also seeks to strengthen the role of companies in innovation, encouraging leading firms to form innovation alliances, set up open proof-of-concept and pilot platforms, and deepen university-enterprise cooperation in training talent.

Themed "High-Tech Foundations for an Intelligent Future," the conference featured keynote speeches and discussions on trends in materials, manufacturing and information technology.

Gao Dongsheng, chief economist of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said the ministry is working to expand the supply of high-tech innovations, nurture innovative enterprises and push industries toward high-end, smart and green development.

Tianjin Vice Mayor Zhai Lixin said the city puts technological innovation first and hopes the conference will mark a milestone in connecting the country's high-tech resources and fostering new quality productive forces.

Tianjin University President Chai Liyuan, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the university will keep drawing on its engineering strengths to tackle core technologies and contribute to the country's self-reliance in science and technology.

The conference also featured a high-tech achievement exhibition and 20 thematic sessions on manufacturing, materials and information technology. Participants included officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and local governments in Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Hunan and Guangdong.

(By Tang Yuxian)