On the afternoon of September 7, the First International Biomedical Industry Innovation Conference Beijing Forum was held in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA). Yin Li, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, addressed and declared open the forum. Speeches were also delivered by He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP); and Zeng Yixin, Vice-minister of the National Health Commission. Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, attended the event.

Speech by Yin Li

Yin thanked the audience for their care and support for the development of Beijing's biomedical industry. He stressed that the industry’s strong foundation, outstanding innovation ability, and abundant clinical resources will create more opportunities for win-win cooperation and development for all stakeholders. Beijing will accelerate the pace of becoming an international innovation center to further promote biomedical technology innovation. It will strengthen basic research and strive for breakthroughs in core technology in key areas for more original major innovation results, and propel their commercialization through greater synergy among industry, academia, research, and application. Efforts will be intensified to introduce high-end talents and improve services, with the aim of fostering a globally competitive biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. A modernized industrial system will be established to further modernize the biomedical industry chain. Key industrial parks such as the Zhongguancun Life Science Park, Daxing Biomedicine Industrial Base, and Beijing Yizhuang Biomedical Park will be developed to the highest standards with more digital technologies like artificial intelligence applied. A sound layout of the industrial chain around Beijing will be developed to boost the integrated development of the biomedical industry in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Beijing will further stimulate the dynamic development of biopharmaceutical enterprises with a better business environment that is more market-oriented, law-based and internationalized. Beijing will advance international exchanges and cooperation, and further improve the function of global resource allocation of biomedicine. Fully leveraging the "two zones" policy and further opening up the industry will help introduce a number of high-quality industrial projects. Biopharmaceutical companies and institutions are welcome to invest in Beijing and create a bright future for the innovative development of the industry.

Speech by He Wei

According to He, biomedicine has become a significant strategic highlight of the new round of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation. The biomedical community in China should fully implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and make unremitting exploration and greater contributions to make progress in frontiers of life science and biotechnology, respond to outbreaks of new major infectious diseases and major chronic diseases, and improve global environmental health, global economic recovery and high-quality sustainable growth, and people's lives and health.

With great emphasis on the development of the biomedical industry, the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the municipal government have achieved fruitful results through meticulous efforts in key areas such as sci-tech innovation, biomedicine, and digital economy while accelerating the progress of becoming an international innovation center. It is hoped that Beijing will continue to be a magnet for global pharmaceutical innovation resources and attract more innovative medicines and medical devices from all over the world to be registered in Beijing. The municipality will guide the relevant companies to introduce advanced technologies from abroad, improve innovation efficiency, and encourage foreign enterprises to set up R&D centers and production bases for innovative medicines in Beijing. Efforts will be made to help local pharmaceutical companies to go global with higher standards and carry out multi-center clinical studies for the global market. Measures will also be taken to promote faster integration of the bio-economy, including biopharmaceuticals, with the digital economy and the green economy. The biopharmaceutical industry will be encouraged to pursue faster digitalization and become the backbone of building a low-carbon, green, and circular economy.

Speech by Zeng Yixin

Zeng said that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to pharmaceutical innovation. China has made much headway in its overall pharmaceutical innovation capacity, from basic research to product development. A series of institutional changes have created a favorable environment for the industry’s development and brought about a sea change in the innovation ecosystem, making China one of the top contributors to global pharmaceutical R&D. Biomedicine is a common cause for all mankind. Therefore, we should move faster to align ourselves with international standards, so as to expand our global presence and take more new medicines abroad. The innovative development of the biomedical industry bears on the health and well-being of our people. Zeng called on everybody to adhere to the principles of openness, development, cooperation, and win-win results, and keep in mind the original aspiration of safeguarding people's health and building a healthy China. He also stressed the need to promote the innovation and internationalization of the biomedical industry, and accelerate China's integration into the global pharmaceutical innovation network, so as to contribute to the high-quality development of pharmaceutical innovation and higher health standards for all mankind.

Moderated by Yin Yong

The forum also features supporting events such as the Innovative Drug R&D and Evaluation Forum, Special Forum on Frontier Drug R&D, and DIA Asia 2023. Representatives from countries and regions such as the US, EU, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea as well as executives of the world's top 500 pharmaceutical companies, experts and academicians, and enterprise representatives will carry out international exchanges and cooperation, and contribute more insights and strength to the innovative development of the biomedical industry.

The forum held in the BDA

Li Li, head of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and Secretary of NMPA Leading Party Members' Group, delivered a speech. Leaders from relevant departments of the Central Government and Beijing Municipal Government, heads of international organizations and multinational pharmaceutical companies, experts and scholars, and industry representatives attended the event.

(Written by Liu Feifei and Yang Qi)