2026 World Science and Technology Development Forum opens in Chongqing

By Liu Xinyu

(ECNS) -- The 2026 World Science and Technology Development Forum (WSTDF) opened in Chongqing on Wednesday. Hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, the event is themed "Co-evolution: Shaping the New Ecology of the Future Industry."

The WSTDF was launched by CAST in 2019 and aims to pool global wisdom, inspire innovative ideas, and build a platform for non-governmental scientific and technological exchanges, contributing sci-tech strength and global solutions to sustainable development.

This year's forum has gathered about 800 guests, including academicians and experts in science, education and economics, heads of international sci-tech organizations, executives of high-tech enterprises, and young sci-tech talents.

In a video message, Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said: "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our shared roadmap. Science, technology and engineering are the vehicles to get us there. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has long partnered with the China Association for Science and Technology on these issues, including through our collaboration on Open Science and the Technology Facilitation Mechanism. I wish you all a productive Forum, and I commend your enduring commitment to a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world."

Aung Kyaw Myat, President of the Myanmar Engineering Council, said: "We're now living in a time of rapid change in artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing and green energy which affect the way we live, work and build our future. This forum is more than a place to exchange ideas. It is an opportunity to build partnerships, inspire innovation and turn our ideas into real solutions. By encouraging open dialogue between research institutions, academia, industry leaders, and engineering organizations, we can bridge technological divides and cultivate a thriving new industrial ecology."

At the opening ceremony, the "Top 10 Science and Technology Foresights of 2026" were released. The 2026 WSTDF features four key topics: "Empowering the Future: Cutting-edge Perception and Digital Cornerstone," "Defining the Future: Smart Products and Advanced Manufacturing," "Reshaping the Future: Green Energy and Low-Carbon Systems," and "Guarding the Future: Global Challenges and Collaborative Governance." 

Twelve parallel forums will be held during the event, covering fields such as Intelligent Perception, Simulation Technology, Engineer Capacity Building, Embodied Intelligence, Intelligent Manufacturing, Industrial Design, Smart Materials, Green Hydrogen, CCUS Technology Innovation, New Energy Vehicles, Mesoscience Application, One Health and Biosafety, and Deep Space Exploration.