The 2026 Zhongguancun Forum will host 60 parallel forums and over 100 activities.

(Source: Qianlong.com)

From bionic intelligence to high-speed magnetic levitation, from embodied intelligence to brain-computer interfaces, from ecological optimization to global connectivity… On March 25, the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference is about to open. According to the forum, this year will feature 60 parallel forums covering fields such as basic research, cutting-edge innovation, and emerging industries, with 21 of them being held for the first time. The event also includes five main sections: forum meetings, achievement releases, technology transactions, frontier competitions, and supporting activities, totaling over 100 events.

Parallel Forums Focus on Four Major Areas of Science and Industry Integration

It is reported that as an important part of the forum, this year’s parallel forums will focus on hot topics such as global science and technology governance, basic research and scientific frontiers, and innovation ecosystems, with 60 activities planned, 21 of which are inaugural. Eleven national ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, will organize 29 forums.

Zhao Zhe, director of the Beijing New Technology Application Promotion Center, introduced that the parallel forums will focus on four major areas. First, linking global resources, with 21 forums organized by 30 international organizations and overseas institutions. These include UNESCO’s participation in the International Open Science Forum and WIPO’s involvement in the Global Intellectual Property Protection and Innovation Forum. Second, emphasizing basic research, such as the National Natural Science Foundation academic forums on power + computing fusion, bionic intelligence, high-speed magnetic levitation, and more, to align basic research with national strategic needs. The Marine Science and Development Forum will delve into core scientific issues like marine microbial ecology and nearshore ecosystem evolution. Major scientific infrastructure, cell and gene therapy, and agricultural-medicine integration forums will also be held to release key scientific questions and share original results. Third, focusing on science-industry integration, with multiple forums on embodied intelligence, quantum technology, 6G, brain-computer interfaces, fusion energy, and high-end instruments, aiming to foster new productive forces through frontier breakthroughs. Reports such as the “2025 Annual Development Report of Science and Technology Services” and major achievements from “Original Technology Source of Central Enterprises” will be released. Fourth, optimizing the innovation ecosystem, with the Beijing Education, Science, and Talent departments jointly hosting a frontline science and technology talent innovation development forum, releasing measures like “Several Measures for Cultivating Beijing’s Master Craftsman Talents” and “Several Measures for Cultivating High-skilled Leading Talents in Beijing.” The Unicorn Enterprise Conference will also release the “China Unicorn Enterprise Development Report (2026).”

Science and Technology Services Make Their First Appearance at the Parallel Forums

With the deepening of the global scientific and industrial revolution, the science and technology service industry, as a key carrier of integrating scientific and industrial innovation, is an important support for accelerating new productive forces. On March 25, the Zhongguancun Forum will host its first “High-Quality Development of Science and Technology Services Forum.”

Sun Qixin, director of the Industry Cluster Development Department at the Torch Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that Beijing’s science and technology service industry is developing well, with a large scale, comprehensive elements, and a healthy ecosystem. By 2025, the revenue of large-scale legal entities in Beijing’s science and technology services will reach 1,003.24 billion yuan, making it a vital engine for high-quality development of the capital. The “High-Quality Development of Science and Technology Services Forum” will provide a platform for linking global resources, sharing practical achievements, and building consensus for industry development, helping the industry leap to higher quality and supporting the construction of a modern industrial system.

The forum will focus on hot topics such as digitalization, intelligence, and internationalization of science and technology services, with in-depth discussions on ecological building, financing, incubation, and scenario applications during enterprise transformation and upgrading. Over 150 representatives from government departments, universities, research institutes, leading enterprises, and industry organizations will participate. “This is the first time a parallel forum dedicated to science and technology services is set up at the Zhongguancun Forum. It will include achievement displays, keynote speeches, scenario releases, and the first publication of the annual development report on science and technology services, as well as an interpretation of the ‘Guidelines for the Construction of the Science and Technology Service Standard System (2025 Edition).’” Sun Qixin added. Several leading companies in the industry will showcase cutting-edge innovations, demonstrating applications in new energy, urban safety, and intelligent equipment, releasing characteristic scenarios to foster practical cooperation and precise matching of industry needs.

Women in Innovation: Top Scholars Share Their Stories

The Science and Technology Women’s Innovation Forum is an important parallel event of the Zhongguancun Forum, first held in May 2023, now in its third edition.

According to reports, this year’s forum will be themed “Innovation for Beauty, Technology for Good,” focusing on the responsibilities and innovative potential of women in science and technology, and discussing the development trends of scientific and technological innovation during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

The forum will feature keynote speeches, roundtable dialogues, and achievement displays. Three top experts will give keynote addresses: Xue Lan, a senior professor of humanities at Tsinghua University and dean of the Schwarzman College; Chen Xuemei, academician of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and chair professor and dean at Peking University’s School of Life Sciences; and Xiang Qiao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the China Women Scientists Association. The roundtable will include a mentor-mentee dialogue, with ICASA member and Beijing Institute of Technology professor Deng Yulin sharing his research journey and international collaboration spirit with his student, Pakistani postdoctoral researcher Madiha Rashed.

Chen Rui, director of the Science and Technology Innovation Service Department at the All-China Women’s Federation, explained that this year’s theme “Innovation for Beauty, Technology for Good” responds to key suggestions from the global women’s summit, aiming to lead women’s scientific and technological strength. It also aligns with the new development of science and technology, emphasizing the importance of scientific ethics and humanistic warmth amid rapid technological and industrial changes. She noted that women scientists have irreplaceable advantages in upholding scientific ethics and conveying humanistic warmth, and the theme aims to inspire women in science and technology to take responsibility in pursuing goodness and beauty, gathering women’s innovative strength.

Science Diplomacy: Promoting Peace and Development Together

On March 26, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Beijing Municipal Government will jointly host the “2026 Zhongguancun Forum International Science and Diplomacy Forum.”

The forum’s theme is “Creating an Open Innovation Environment and Building a Global Science and Technology Community,” aiming to explore solutions to global issues through scientific and technological cooperation, jointly responding to the challenges of the era, and promoting peace and development. It will invite representatives from embassies in China, international organizations, top domestic and international academicians and experts, and young scholars worldwide to discuss new trends in science diplomacy and ways to address global challenges.

Participants will include top scientists from the U.S., Germany, Italy, Australia, and China. Keynote speakers include John Meiners, chief officer of the American Heart Association; Roland Eils, academician of the German National Academy of Sciences; Cao Zhen, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Ling Peixue, academician of the Eurasian Academy of Sciences. Two in-depth roundtables will focus on “Promoting Global Governance of Open Science and Deepening Multilateral Cooperation” and “Expanding Exchanges and Building Global Partnerships.” The forum will also feature representatives from embassies, international organizations, universities, research institutes, and innovative enterprises, as well as young scientists from countries along the Belt and Road sharing vivid stories of cooperation in agriculture, health, and other fields in China.

Sun Lijie, vice president of the China Association for Science and Technology, stated, “Science is a universal language. Through science diplomacy, we can cross borders, build trust in research, and promote the creation of a global science and technology community. Especially now, facing increasingly complex global challenges, international cooperation through scientific and technological innovation is essential. The ‘Science and Diplomacy International Forum’ aims to explore ‘open science’ and ‘global governance’ to help all parties find common ground amid uncertainty.”

Digital Health: Let AI Bring Benefits to Patients

From March 26 to 27, the 2026 World Digital Health Forum, jointly hosted by the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Tsinghua University, will take place. The theme is “Intelligent Integration, Co-creating a New Ecosystem for the Health Industry,” gathering global health policymakers, top academicians, medical management leaders, and industry leaders to discuss core topics such as AI hospital systems, standardization of medical AI, and international promotion of smart health solutions, building an open and inclusive global AI medical collaboration network.

It is reported that during this year’s parallel digital health forum, the “International AI Hospital Connectivity Consensus” will be released. This consensus systematically defines the connotation and capability framework of AI hospitals from a global perspective for the first time, proposing a new paradigm of smart health driven by service twins, and clarifying four mission directions: leadership through consensus, collaborative innovation, central hub connectivity, and inclusive sharing. The forum will also launch the “Tsinghua Urban Health Index,” which has been used for six consecutive years to scan the health levels of 296 Chinese cities at the prefecture level and above, and for three years to benchmark 36 international metropolises, using data as a new productive element to promote digital and intelligent health governance. Additionally, several cutting-edge technological achievements will be showcased, including integrated spatial intelligent imaging systems, AI-driven universal imaging-compatible surgical robots, AI hospital central hubs, and China’s clinical evidence-based intelligent capacity building plans.

Wang Xia, assistant director of the Tsinghua Institute of Precision Medicine, explained that this year’s forum’s biggest feature is “from consensus to product, from single breakthroughs to community building.” For example, the upcoming “International AI Hospital Connectivity Consensus” provides a standard framework for AI hospital construction based on four core missions. Many displayed results are designed to be applicable to primary healthcare institutions, directly addressing patient care pain points, promoting the adaptation and application of these technologies to achieve “Chinese R&D, global sharing.”

Investment Conference: 50 Billion Yuan Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Fund Launch

The “2026 Investment Beijing Conference” will be held during the Zhongguancun Forum on March 25, themed “Invest in Beijing, Win the Future.” It features activities such as policy interpretation, project signing, achievement displays, and multiple “one-on-one” precise matchmaking sessions. Over 800 companies and institutions worldwide have registered, with more than 600 key guests expected to attend.

Shang Wei, director of the Promotion and Outreach Department of Beijing’s Investment Promotion Service Center, said that major projects in fields like science and technology services, intelligent manufacturing, and healthcare will be signed at the conference. The “Belt and Road” comprehensive service platform for sci-tech innovation and internationalization will also be unveiled, providing authoritative one-stop services for enterprises.

For precise project-investment matching, each district in Beijing has set up 17 matchmaking consultation booths, divided into six sectors: intelligent manufacturing, new-generation information technology, new energy, biomedicine, integrated circuits, and new materials. These booths gather over 80 high-growth enterprises seeking financing and more than 150 well-known investment institutions, creating an efficient platform for investment and financing matching. The conference will also feature roadshows of several high-potential projects in emerging fields like new-generation information technology, AI, smart manufacturing, and new materials, aiming to bridge the “last mile” for project implementation.

Shang Wei added that during the 2026 Investment Beijing Conference, the first batch of key projects for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Venture Capital Guidance Fund (the “Jing-Jin-Ji Fund”) will be signed, with investments in four sub-funds and one direct investment project, marking the start of substantial investment for this national regional fund with a scale of 50 billion yuan.

“The Jing-Jin-Ji Fund is jointly funded by the National Venture Capital Guidance Fund, China Investment Corporation, eight systemically important enterprises, the Bank of China, and other regional entities. Managed by China International Capital Corporation, the fund’s first signed sub-funds and direct investments adhere to the principles of ‘early, small, long-term, hard tech’ and cover strategic emerging industries like new-generation information technology, biomedicine, and integrated circuits, precisely matching the industrial layout and innovation needs of the Jing-Jin-Ji region. By empowering real economy projects with finance, it effectively promotes coordinated development in the region,” Shang Wei said.