On the morning of November 22, the 11th China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo opened in Mianyang, with the theme of "Science and Technology Leading, Innovation and Transformation, Openness and Cooperation". Shao Hong, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Executive Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. Other speakers included Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial People's Congress, Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia in China, Wu Zhaohui, Vice Minister of Science and Technology, and Zhang Kejian, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology and Administrator of State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

Wang Xiaohui, on behalf of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Sichuan Province, extended a warm welcome to all the guests and expressed his gratitude to friends at home and abroad who have long cared about and supported Sichuan's development. He explained that as a major economically developed province in China with a large population and competitiveness in science and education, Sichuan was born with a gene for innovation and has left distinctive "Sichuan marks" in the history of sci-tech development in China and even the world. On the new journey in the new era, Sichuan has been accelerating its pace of innovation with continuously improving sci-tech capability. Sci-tech innovation has become the main engine to promote high-quality economic development. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to and places high expectations on Sichuan's innovative development. He made a strategic plan to promote the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle construction and required Sichuan to build a sci-tech innovation center with national influence. Especially when visiting Sichuan this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping entrusted us with the mission of building "two highlands, two bases, and one barrier". The first "highland" refers to "an innovation highland in western China". He highlighted the strategic task of achieving "four new breakthroughs". The first one stands for "new breakthroughs in improving sci-tech innovation capabilities". General Secretary Xi Jinping also proposed the requirements of "making efforts in four aspects". The first means "simultaneous efforts in sci-tech innovation and sci-tech achievement transformation". These important instructions and requirements not only fully demonstrate Sichuan's unique status and role in the national innovation landscape but also provide fundamental guidelines for us to pursue innovative development. They will certainly guide and help Sichuan to seize the momentum to gather domestic and foreign innovation resources and develop new advantages for innovation-driven development. In addition, rare opportunities and a broad stage have been created for national and global players to better set out plans to develop innovative industrial chains and for talent from China and foreign countries to grow in Sichuan.

Wang Xiaohui pointed out that Sichuan is willing to work with everyone to build a source of independent innovation, develop national and provincial laboratories and research centers for basic sciences, make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and strive for more "from zero to one" innovation breakthroughs. The province looks forward to cooperation in building itself into the first choice for achievement transformation. With a focus on traditional advantageous and strategic emerging industries, it wants to build public platforms for concept validation, pilot-scale tests and maturation, and achievement trading. Such efforts are expected to remove the last crucial hurdle and form more new productivity. It also aspires to team up with relevant parties to grow into a pool of innovative talent. Sichuan will implement several major talent projects, create a talent ecosystem that pleases professionals nearby and attracts those afar, and strive to transform talent, a "key variable", into the "strongest boost" for innovation and development. He said it is hoped that participants can find partners in the endless journey of sci-tech development, discover more business opportunities in the cause of innovation and creation requiring wisdom and courage, and jointly explore the path of sci-tech innovation and pursue future development through the China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo.

In his speech, Djauhari Oratmangun  noted that science and technology are the key drivers of human progress and people's well-being. As a global sci-tech power, China has held a leading position in many fields over the past few years, driving new changes across the world. Sichuan, especially Mianyang, is committed to sci-tech innovation and creation, and the booming economic development is impressive. Without sci-tech innovation, there can be no transformation, development, and better economic growth. In response to that, promoting sci-tech innovation has become a critical part of Indonesia's vision of "Indonesia Emas (Golden Indonesia) 2045". The country is developing green economy, marine economy, digital economy, healthcare, tourism, and other industries and boosting scientific research and innovation. He said that Indonesia, by serving as the Guest of Honor of this year's China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo, expects to enhance national and local cooperation, learn good experience and practices, and reap fruitful results in sci-tech cooperation.

On behalf of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Wu Zhaohui wished the 11th China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo a complete success. He said that the Ministry of Science and Technology will keep supporting Mianyang to promote high-quality development based on sci-tech innovation and speed up the construction of a leading sci-tech innovation area of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He asked the city to make breakthroughs in scientific research and realize achievement transformation bearing the national strategies and objectives in mind, to contribute to the high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. It is also required to deepen the reform of sci-tech systems and mechanisms, invigorate innovation and entrepreneurship, and create a competitive innovation ecosystem. Besides, Mianyang should also step up efforts in regional innovation, opening up, and cooperation, and support and serve the new development pattern of "dual circulation". He encouraged the guests and exhibitors to conduct in-depth exchanges, build consensus, enhance cooperation, and share cutting-edge sci-tech progress during the China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo, to jointly drive sci-tech innovation and achievement transformation and better empower entities, serve society, and benefit people.

Zhang Kejian said in his speech that since the 18th CPC National Congress, China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City has been serving the country's high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, making simultaneous efforts in sci-tech innovation and achievement transformation, and celebrating groundbreaking progress in its development. Holding the 11th China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo is a vital measure to put into practice the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. Zhang Kejian noted that, together with Sichuan Province and Mianyang City, we will always put innovation at the core of Chinese modernization, endeavor to develop capabilities in R&D, innovation, and advanced manufacturing, and provide strong support for accelerating the realization of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and creating a new chapter featuring integrated national strategic system and capability. He hoped that through this year's China (Mianyang) Science &Technology City International High-Tech Expo, all guests could support the development of Sichuan Province, contribute to the construction of China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City, jointly serve the self-reliance and strength in science and technology of China, and lay a solid foundation for national prosperity.

Dong Weimin, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Executive Vice Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, presided over the opening ceremony. Cao Lijun, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Mianyang Municipal Committee, introduced China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City. Speeches were delivered by Pedro Antonio Valdes Sosa, a full member of the Cuba Academy of Sciences and the Latin American Academy of Sciences and professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Gao Wenbao, President of BOE Technology Group. China Center for Information Industry Development and Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China released the Research on the Competitiveness of Chinese Cities in Scientific and Technological Innovation 2023 and Outlook of Disruptive Technologies (2023) respectively.

At about 10:55, Shao Hong declared the 11th China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City International High-Tech Expo open.

Before the opening ceremony, Shao Hong and Wang Xiaohui met with some guests and visited some booths at the Major Sci-Tech Achievements Exhibition of the High-tech Expo.

Provincial officials Tian Xiaowei, Chen Wei, Song Chaohua, Zheng Bei, and Yang Dan, heads of relevant national ministries and commissions and military units, representatives of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, experts and scholars, representatives of some consulates in Chengdu and Chongqing, heads of relevant provincial departments, cities (autonomous prefectures), and some central units in Sichuan, as well as representatives of famous enterprises, colleges and universities, and scientific research institutes in Chongqing and other parts of China also attended the opening ceremony.