On September 18, the Global Science and Life Health Sub-forum of the ZGC Forum kicked off at the Exhibition Center of Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone. Wang Zhigang, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Minister of Science and Technology, Hou Jianguo, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chen Jining, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, delivered speeches.

Wang Zhigang said that the virus knows no borders. More and more people are realizing that we share the common destiny in combating COVID-19. We need to support each other to stay safe and sound during the pandemic. Countries must work together to harness the power of science and technology in reducing the unknown and increasing certainty and defeat the virus. China has achieved remarkable results in fighting COVID-19, boosting the world's confidence in defeating the virus. China will continue to apply integrate scientific research results in epidemic prevention and control, improve the public health research system, carry out international scientific and technological cooperation in a more pragmatic and effective manner, and share research results and experience in fighting COVID-19 with other countries. By fulfilling the pledge of making its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when available, China is committed to promoting international dialogues and establishing a cooperation network on international COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, and contributes to a community with a shared future for mankind.

Chen Jining said that as China's center for scientific and technological innovation, Beijing will resolutely implement the five measures proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 73rd World Health Assembly,  encourage scientific research institutes, universities, and enterprises to deepen theoretical research of COVID-19, explore the source of infection and the pathogenic mechanism of transmission, and improve IT application in the epidemic containment, providing science-based COVID-19 control measures in economic and social life. By researching different technologies simultaneously and respecting science, Beijing is committed to advancing the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines and putting them into use as soon as possible, making Beijing's contribution to ensuring that COVID-19 vaccines are accessible and affordable in developing countries. It will give full play to the role of enterprises, boost the production of medical equipment and medicines, and promote the development of the health care industry to ensure better epidemic prevention and control. The city will step up international cooperation on the frontier technologies of life sciences, focus on biotechnology needs, and build a comprehensive, multi-level and systematic cooperation platform to address the common challenges faced by mankind.

Khairy Jamaluddin, Malaysia's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Suvit Maesincee, Thailand's Minster of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesian Minister of Research and Technology/National Research and Innovation Agency delivered speeches. Zhong Nanshan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Director of Respiratory Diseases Clinical Medicine Research Center and recipient of the Medal of the Republic and the “People's Hero” national honorary title, Chen Wei, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences delivered keynote speeches. Jin Wei, Secretary General of the Beijing Municipal Government, attended the event.

(Reporter: Wang Hao)