The second Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange was held from June 10 to 12 in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It aims to foster multi-level, multi-field sci-tech exchange and cooperation mechanisms.

It launched a series of "industry-university-research-application" cooperation platforms and unveiled several major achievements, injecting new momentum into global sci-tech collaboration.

In recent years, sci-tech cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been deepening, with substantial results. China has signed intergovernmental sci-tech cooperation agreements with over 80 BRI partner countries, and initiated the establishment of more than 70 Belt and Road joint laboratories.

Sci-tech innovation has become a critical component of BRI cooperation. From Central Asia to the Middle East, and from Southeast Asia to Africa, sci-tech cooperation has improved the well-being of people in BRI partner countries, achieving real win-win outcomes.

In Southeast Asia, a "solar-plus-energy storage" project built by Chinese enterprises in Laos has alleviated local electricity supply shortages. In the Middle East, oil and gas giant Saudi Aramco is using the technology of a Chinese AI company for the smart transformation of Saudi Arabia's energy industry.  As of the end of 2023, China has established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers and introduced over 300 advanced agricultural technologies.

BRI partner countries differ in terms of their cultures, geographies, development levels and institutional systems. However, addressing development challenges through sci-tech innovation is a shared aspiration. Whether it is the threat of infectious diseases, food security gaps, or the challenge of energy transformation, sci-tech innovation provides the key to resolving these issues.

BRI sci-tech cooperation emphasizes the concept of a "global community" and has increasingly diversified its forms and channels. Cultural exchanges have grown closer, and innovation achievements continue to accumulate, helping restore confidence in international cooperation. Open cooperation is the right path for sci-tech development and will promote the smooth flow of innovation factors and accelerate global technological progress.

Developing countries must seize the opportunity to keep pace with the global technological revolution, becoming vital participants and beneficiaries. Sci-tech cooperation is crucial for promoting the dissemination of key emerging technologies, advancing industrial transformation and upgrading in various countries, ensuring fairness and accessibility in industrial changes, and safeguarding the development rights of developing countries.

Looking ahead, sci-tech cooperation under the BRI will continue to expand, with new platforms and models emerging to help participating countries enhance their innovation capabilities, driving high-quality development. Deeper cooperation will not only advance global science and technology governance, but also unleash the potential for innovation, benefiting people worldwide and helping build a global community with a shared future.