The 2020 Zhongguancun Forum kicked off on Thursday in Beijing, gathering global leaders in science and business, along with executives of international organizations, to discuss global innovation and cooperation amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Zhong Nanshan, a leading respiratory disease expert and recipient of the Medal of the Republic, and Chen Wei, a recipient of the "People's Hero" national honorary title, shared their insights on using science and technology to fight against COVID-19.
The four-day event with the theme of Meet Challenge with Cooperation and Innovation has attracted many leaders from the science and technology industry to China's Silicon Valley, Zhongguancun.
Zhong Nanshan shares COVID-19 control and prevention strategy via video at the Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on Sept 18, 2020. [Photo by ZhuXingxin/ chinadaily.com.cn]
In the face of the COVID-19 epidemic, life is most important above all, said Zhong at the global science and healthcare sub-forum in Beijing on Friday.
Guided by the principal of putting life first, the Chinese government is resolute in taking strong measures to prevent and control the epidemic. Meanwhile, regular reports were presented to the whole country in an open and transparent manner, and joint prevention and control measures were taken at the community level to ensure early detection, early diagnosis and early isolation, Zhong said.
Chen Wei, a military medical researcher and recipient of the "People's Hero" national honorary title, delivers a speech on the latest discoveries in the human trials of the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine at the Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on Sept 18, 2020. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]
There have never been so many scientists around the world doing the same thing at the same time like they are doing now. It is a very good opportunity for these scientists to learn from each other. All the scientists are sparing no efforts to study the vaccine. Only in this way can we move forward together and really manage the epidemic in a balanced way because as long as one country does not control the spread of the virus, no other country can survive alone.
Robin Li Yanhong, founder, chairman and CEO of internet search giant Baidu, delivers a speech at the 2020 ZGC Forum in Beijing on Sept 17. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]
Robin Li Yanhong, chairman and CEO of internet giant Baidu, said at the forum that China's rapid economic growth for a long time into the future will mainly depend on the efficiency brought by innovations in science and technology.
"During this process, the intelligent industry will play a vital role," he said.
Li said that the mission is to make the complicated world easier with technology and he added that he hopes to use technology to promote rapid economic development.
Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology, attends the news conference on the publishing of a white paper on China's fight against COVID-19 by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on June 7, 2020. [Photo/scio.gov.cn]
In the process of fighting against COVID-19, China has always given top priority to international scientific and technological cooperation. We are fully aware that no country can be immune to this new global challenge, Wang said.
Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of Xiaomi, delivers a speech at the ZGC Forum in Beijing on Sept 17. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]
Lei Jun, chief executive of Xiaomi, said the company has invested big in technology and its investment in the scientific research this year will be more than 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion).
People can find almost any type of talent in Zhongguancun, China's Silicon Valley, and the talent density is very high there. It is a great hour for an entrepreneur to move forward in the great era of mobile internet in the past decade, Lei said.
