Beijing to Lead Charge on National Innovation Strategy

On September 11, the State Council published a plan to enhance Beijing’s position as the nation's center for technology innovation, and identifies and supports Beijing as the leader and model in implementing a nation-wide innovation development strategy and the core support for the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

The plan lays out a 3-step policy to help Beijing claim a spot as a world leader in innovation, setting a timeline for growth. By 2017, Beijing should make a noticeable improvement in innovative power, vitality, and capability so as to expand and lead the rest of the country on this drive. By 2020, the center should create a better innovation system, establish leading industry research R&D pilot zones and grow into a technology innovation center with global influence, and by 2030, Beijing should become an important force and a leader in global innovation network.

To realize those goals, Beijing should place an emphasis on original innovation, with plans to develop Zhongguancun Science City, Huairou Science City and Future Science City, deploy research strategies for cutting-edge technologies, and build talents and research capabilities. Furthermore, Beijing will focus on building high tech economic infrastructure in areas such as smart manufacturing, life science, integrated circuit, mobile internet, green manufacturing among others. The plan will also create innovative city clusters around China with Beijing at the center leading the development. Last but not least, the plan also encourages global cooperation by attracting foreign investment to set up innovation centers and promoting domestic companies going abroad.