Many countries have seized opportunities at the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai to pursue innovative growth with China.

Some of the nine contracts signed by Hungary and China so far, for example, are in innovation-related sectors, Laszlo Palkovics, Hungary's minister of innovation and technology, said on Thursday.

It's important for countries to work together in innovation because people with different perspectives around the world can help to design much more useful cutting-edge technologies to deal with the challenges that all people are facing, Palkovics said. "Also, technology can be developed much quicker if people cooperate."

Chinese companies, as well as the government, are showing greater interest in innovation-related projects, he said. The government has already been involved in Hungary's Extreme Light Infrastructure project, which aims to investigate the interactions of light and matter with high intensity, he said. The project is expected to have a significant impact on materials science, medicine and environmental protection.

"Innovation is more important than ever. People cannot be successful without being open to technology. We need to be innovative and cooperative to sustain growth," he said. By doing so, the world can consume materials in a more intelligent way.

In an interconnected global village, sharing the fruits of innovation is the common aspiration and natural choice of the world community, President Xi Jinping said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the CIIE on Monday.

It's important for all countries to pursue innovative growth and speed up the transformation of growth drivers, he said.

Also on Monday, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Israel signed a memorandum of understanding on scientific and technological cooperation with Shanghai to promote science and technology exchanges and innovation in fields such as the life sciences－especially brain science, agricultural technology and energy and environmental technology－according to the memorandum.

"This is the seventh MOU between China and Israel in the last three years, but the first direct agreement between the Ministry of Science and Technology in Israel with the city of Shanghai, one of the most important business and innovation centers in the world," Ofir Akunis, Israel's minister of science and technology, said on Monday.

Both sides are committed to financing cooperative projects, such as joint laboratories, sharing policy advice and resolving intellectual property-related issues. Seminars will also be frequently held by Shanghai and Israel, along with study tours for official delegations.

Cao Chen contributed to this story.