The 2026 Zhongguancun Forum will spotlight the theme of full integration between technological and industrial innovation, an official with the Ministry of Science and Technology said on Wednesday.

This year's ZGC Forum will be held in Beijing from Wednesday to March 29. More than 1,000 guests from over 100 countries and regions are expected to participate in the forum, which features more than 100 events, Lin Xin, vice-minister of science and technology, said at a news conference.

The 2026 forum will be characterized by four distinctive features. First, it will emphasize the expansion of the capital city's efforts to become an international science and technology innovation center by holding forums and releasing relevant policies for deepening coordination among Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province, all located in North China, Lin said.

Lin also noted that it will emphasize the deep integration of technological innovation with industrial innovation by focusing on frontier fields such as 6G, brain-computer interfaces, and cell and gene therapy.

The integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent cultivation will also be a key characteristic of the 2026 forum, according to Lin.

Additionally, this year's forum will emphasize high-level scientific and technological openness and cooperation, she added.

The 2026 forum is jointly organized by several Chinese government agencies, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Founded in 2007, the forum has evolved into a global, comprehensive, open and high-level international event for enhancing global innovation in science and technology.

Xinhua - China Daily