On the morning of September 11, the Opening Ceremony of the 21st Western China Overseas Hi-Tech and High Talents Conference (OHTC) &Tianfu Forum was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The event followed the theme of "Together for an Ecosystem of Innovation and a Shared Future of Science and Technology" . Shao Hong, Vice-chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Executive Vice-chairperson of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society , attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, and Chen Xu, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, delivered speeches respectively. Huang Qiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, and Shi Xiaolin, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee, attended the ceremony.

Shao Hong offered his congratulations on the opening of the conference. He pointed out that technological innovation is an important force for reshaping the world pattern and advancing the progress of humanity. The 20th CPC National Congress outlined a grand blueprint for leading the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization and maintained the core position of innovation in the overall situation of China's modernization drive. As we embark on a new journey in this new era, we will always adhere to high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, spare no effort to address major scientific and technological issues that affect China's overall development and long-term interests, and continuously enhance the driving force to promote high-quality development. We will accelerate the transformation of high-level scientific and technological achievements, continue to improve long-term mechanisms of policy support, capital investment, incentive guarantee, service supervision, and other aspects, realize a three-phase makeover from scientific research, to experimental development, to promotion and application, and constantly enhance the contribution effect of serving high-quality development. We will continue to strengthen high-level scientific and technological opening up and cooperation, deeply connect with the global innovation network, actively construct and integrate into international research platforms, and work together to achieve the biggest synergy for high-quality development.

Shao pointed out that in recent years, Sichuan has resolutely positioned itself as a responsible participant in China’s overall situation and deepened innovation-driven development to shape momentum, with its position continuously elevating in the national innovation strategy and international innovation landscape. The OHTC jointly established by the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, the People's Government of Sichuan Province, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society has become a domestically leading and internationally renowned high-end event for scientific and technological talent exchange. Furthermore, it offers the best platform for talent from all over the world to share the development opportunities in western China. He hoped that everyone could gather at OHTC and meet in Chengdu, take his root in this land full of hope and vitality, achieve personal success in integrating into the great cause of modernization in China, especially in western China, and continue to write a brilliant chapter in promoting exchanges, cooperation and win-win development between China and other countries in the world.

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. Wang said that in today's world, with the rapid evolution of the scientific and technical revolution, research paradigms are interpenetrating, and discipline development is constantly merging. Whoever possesses first-rate scientific and technological talent will be able to seize the opportunity and win initiative in future competition. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core attaches great importance to innovative development. The 20th CPC National Congress gave prominence to implementing the strategy for invigorating China through science and education and strengthening talent support for modernization and adopted a comprehensive action plan. This provides fundamental guidelines for scientific and technological innovation and talent development in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions during his inspection tour in Sichuan this year emphasized that we should make efforts to advance scientific and technological innovation and transform scientific and technological achievements simultaneously, strive to build an innovation highland in western China, further define Sichuan's position and role in the national development, and provide a broad stage for scientific and technological talent and innovative enterprises at home and abroad to develop in Sichuan. Today, Sichuan is forging ahead towards the goal of building a scientific and technological innovation center with national influence and a highland for gathering innovative talent. It has become the preferred location for scientific and technological talent and innovative enterprises at home and abroad to settle in western China. We will further clarify the policy that we value talented people, nurture them, attract them, put them to good use, and retain them, gather energy and strength from every part of the world, and enable talent of all kinds to realize their value of life and write a brilliant chapter of their careers in the modernization of Sichuan.

Chen Xu, in his speech, fully recognized the fruitful achievements of OHTC in talent attraction, investment promotion, international exchanges, win-win cooperation and other aspects, which played a positive role in facilitating the introduction of high-level talent from overseas and promoting Chinese scientific and technological innovation and development. Additionally, Chen expressed his hope that overseas Chinese should seize opportunities, leverage their advantages, actively participate in China's innovation-driven development strategy, write a new chapter of realizing the Chinese Dream with one heart and one mind, and make new and more contributions to safeguard world peace and development and build a community of shared future for mankind.

Before the opening ceremony, Shao Hong, Wang Xiaohui, Chen Xu and Huang Qiang visited the Sichuan Overseas Talent Project Introduction Achievements Exhibition. At the opening ceremony, Wang Xiaohui and Huang Qiang presented awards to the winners of the 2023 "Tianfu Friendship Award" and the winners of the 9th "OHTC Cup" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for Global Overseas Chinese respectively. The People's Government of Sichuan Province signed strategic cooperation agreements with Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Southwest University and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Zhao Junmin, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Director of the United Front Work Department of Sichuan, presided over the opening ceremony.

Provincial officials Yu Lijun, Chen Wei, Zhu Chunxiu, Yang Xingping, Zheng Bei, Yang Dan and Xu Weilin, relevant officials from a part of sister provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), leading officials from relevant provincial departments, some Nobel laureates, academicians at home and abroad, presidents of famous universities, professors, experts, heads of high-tech enterprises, and representatives of business associations also participated in the event.