On September 10th, the 17th Western China Overseas High Tech and High Talents Conference (OHTC), co-sponsored by the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC and the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the Central Committee of the Jiu San Society, was held in Chengdu.
Mr. Shao Hong, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of Jiu San Society, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. Mr. Yin Li, Vice Secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC, Governor of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, and Mr. Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the Central United Front Work Department and Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council delivered speeches. Mr. Deng Xiaogang, Vice Secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC, attended the ceremony.
Themed on “Leading by Innovation, Intellectual Pool of Overseas Chinese”, this year's OHTC attracts about 800 domestic and foreign guests including 5 Nobel Prize winners, 18 Chinese and foreign academicians, and 148 overseas teams of innovation, all of them will work together to conjure a plan for development.
Mr. Shao Hong pointed out in his speech that since its establishment in 1995, the OHTC has been adhering to the strategy of "rejuvenating the country through science and education" and "strengthening the country through talents". It has contributed to the development of western regions and provided opportunities for overseas talents. It has made considerable progress, inspired the innovation and entrepreneurial vitality in the region and promoted the in-depth development of western regions. Its brand and overflow effect have been expanded, and its influence and reputation at home and abroad have been on the rise. With the deepening of China's reform and opening up, China's western region has gradually become a "hot land" for overseas talents to display their gifts and start businesses. He hoped that overseas talents would share the opportunities of the west, and give full play to their strong economic strength, rich intellectual resources and extensive business contacts to accomplish their ideals in pursuing the great cause of developing their home country, and to write realize a wonderful chapter in the historical journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. At the same time, he also hoped that everyone can tap their own advantages to bridge the exchanges and cooperation between their country of residence and China in various fields, tell the Chinese story with clarity, enhance the connectivity of the people, integrate into and give back to the local society, so as to promote peace and development of the world, and make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Mr. Yin Li welcomed the guests on behalf of the provincial party committee and the provincial government. He said that since its establishment more than 20 years ago, the OHTC has developed into a national platform for comprehensive exchange and cooperation among talents and intellectuals, and has made important contributions to promoting the high-quality economic development of Sichuan and western China. Sichuan is one of the major provinces of population, economy, science, and education. In recent years, it has spared no efforts in implementing the decisions and deployments of the central government by promoting the work of “strengthening the province through talents”, and striving to create favorable conditions for the work and livelihood of talents in Sichuan. At present, guided by Xi Jinping Thoughts for a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Sichuan has promoted the construction of the “Belt and Road”, developed the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the western regions for a new round, accelerated the construction of a new pattern for regional coordinated development and a new trend of three-dimensional comprehensive opening-up, promoting economic and social development of the province. Sichuan Opportunity and Sichuan Vision will erect a broad stage for high-tech and high-end overseas talents. We warmly welcome individuals with lofty ideals to come to Sichuan to create a better tomorrow by engaging in innovation, starting businesses, pursuing dreams.
In his speech, Mr. Xu Yousheng said that talents abound in more than 60 million of overseas Chinese who have made great achievements in various high-tech fields. Each of them entertains not only the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, but also the profound feelings for their home country, thus they are fully capable of playing an important and unique role in enhancing technological exchanges between China and other foreign countries and promoting the innovation-driven development strategy of China. 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. The door of China's opening up will never close, but open wider, providing new and rare opportunities for overseas talents to display their gifts and realize their dreams. The OHTC is the most influential event for exchanges in technologies and talents of the western China. He hoped that overseas Chinese professionals will ride the trend and seize the opportunity provided by this platform to realize their ambitions and achieve great success in Sichuan and inject new vitality into Sichuan's innovation and development accordingly.
The Tianfu Forum was held at the opening ceremony. Mr. Edward Moser, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Mr. Park, Fellow of the Academy of Sciences and Engineering of the Royal Society of Canada, Mr. John Gurdon, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Mr. Li Bailian, Gold Award receiver of Prigogine, academician of the American Academy of Human Ecology, Foreign academician of Russian Academy of Sciences, and Mr. Nick Miles, Vice President of Global Affairs at the University of Nottingham, delivered speeches respectively.
Awards were also conferred at the opening ceremony. Mr. Yin Li conferred the 2018 “Tianfu Friendship Award” on five foreign experts who have made important contributions to Sichuan's economic and social development; Mr. Deng Xiaogang awarded the winners of the 4th “OHTC” Global Competition for Overseas Chinese in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Before the opening ceremony, Mr. Shao Hong, Mr. Yin Li, Mr. Xu Yousheng and Mr. Deng Xiaogang visited the exhibition for displaying achievements of Sichuan in introducing overseas talents.
Mr. Wang Zhengpu, Member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC and Minister of the Organization Department, presided over the opening ceremony. Mr. Huang Runqiu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Jiu San Society, and Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Commission of the Jiu San Society, Mr. Fan Ruiping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC and Secretary of the Chengdu Municipal Committee, Mr. Tian Xiangli, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee of the CPC and Director of the United Front Work Department, Mr. Chen Wenhua, Vice Director of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial People's Congress, and Mr. Wang Yihong, Vice Governor of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, Mr. Chen Fang, Vice Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Political Consultative Conference, relevant state ministries and commissions, the responsible persons of provincial departments, experts and scholars from more than 20 countries and regions around the world, and representatives of innovative entrepreneurs, attended the opening ceremony.
On September 9th, Mr. Yin Li and Mr. Deng Xiaogang met with the Nobel Prize winners Aaron Ciechanover, Peter Agre, and Ada Yonath as well as other guests attending the OHTC.
