In order to deepen pragmatic cooperation between China and Australia in scientific and technological innovation and seek for new mechanisms and modes of technological and scientific cooperation between the two countries, the “2019 Australia-China Science, Technology Commercialization & Innovation Forum” sponsored by Chongqing University is being held from January 22 to 23, 2019 at Kempinski Hotel Chongqing. This is the second session of this Forum. The first session was held in 2016. The purpose of the Forum is to boost Australia-China cooperation in science and technology.

The “2019 Australia-China Science, Technology Commercialization & Innovation Forum” includes the plenary forum and five sub-forums, “resource and energy”, “civil engineering and architecture”, “material and manufacturing”, “environment and ecology” and “biological medicine and health”. Over 10 academicians from home and abroad, more than 50 Australian experts and nearly 200 Chinese researchers are present at this Forum. A total of more than 60 themed academic representations are being made surrounding topics including energy source, civil engineering, materials, environment and biological medicine. In particular, there are more than 10 keynote speeches delivered by academicians. This Forum serves as a high-standard international platform, where Chinese and foreign academicians and researchers communicate and exchange ideas and work out directions and countermeasures for scientific and technological innovation and industrialization of the two countries.

The “2019 Australia-China Science, Technology Commercialization & Innovation Forum” opened as scheduled on the morning of January 22. Professor Jiang Deyi, dean of the School of Resources and Environmental Science, presided at the opening ceremony. Professor Yang Dan, managing vice president of Chongqing University, addressed the opening ceremony on behalf of Chongqing University. Yang Dan pointed out that Chongqing University had been maintaining close relationship with Australian colleges and universities, with frequent exchange visits and cooperation. This Forum is held in an effort to boost dissemination of scientific and technological achievements and scientific and technological innovation, encourage extensive international communication and cooperation in science and technology, and set an example of win-win partnership. Yang added that this Forum would hopefully contribute remarkably to scientific and technological innovation and industrialization of Chongqing University and to the scientific and technological development of China and even of the world.

 (Professor Yang Dan, managing vice president of Chongqing  University)

The Australian chairman of this Forum, Professor Hua Guo, president of Coal Mining Institute, Department of Energy, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, delivered a welcome speech. In the speech, Hua stated that this Forum was another high-standard conference following the “2016 Australia-China Science, Technology Commercialization & Innovation Forum” held in Brisbane. It would facilitate Australia-China cooperation in science and technology, boost further cooperation between the two parties in research areas such as energy sources, civil engineering, materials, environment and biology, and realize industrialized application of academic achievements.

(Professor Hua Guo, president of Coal Mining Institute, Department of Energy, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization)

Tim White, commercial counselor of Australian Trading Commission in Chengdu, stated that Australia and China had always had close connections. This second session of the Forum was the best opportunity for all participants in particular to discuss the way to transfer creative ideas and thinking of the two parties into real products and services, realize their commercial feasibility and initiate important strategic research and commercial cooperation.

 (Tim White, commercial counselor of Australian Trading Commission in Chengdu)

Liang Zhen, deputy director of Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau, said that Chongqing is the only municipality in west China directly under the central government, and is located at the connecting point of the “Belt and Road” and the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It plays a unique and significant role in regional development and pattern of opening to the outside world of the country. At present, Chongqing is implementing the innovation-driven development strategy guided by big data and intelligence by encouraging well-known universities and research institutions from home and abroad to run cooperative education programs in Chongqing and co-build R&D institutions and achievement dissemination platforms. This Forum was attended by top-grade experts, with a diversity of topics. It would substantially boost China-Australia cooperation in science and technology. Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau would continue to support such high-standard, influential international academic events, so as to attract more international top-grade innovation elements and improve the regional innovation capacity of Chongqing.

 (Liang Zhen, deputy director of Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau)

Academician Pan Fusheng, chairman of the Forum, also addressed the opening ceremony. Pan extended his sincere welcome to all honored guests present at the forum as the chairman of this Forum. After that, Academician Pan expressed his hope that this Forum would serve as a platform where all flowers bloom together and where inspirations are brought to various sectors and areas, and a platform that creates more cooperation opportunities for China and Australia . At last, Academician Pan expressed his hope that the scientists and engineers of the two countries would make joint efforts to work out sound strategies and wonderful ideas for different areas of scientific and technological innovation of the two countries, and make greater contributions to their economic and social development.

 (Academician Pan Fusheng of Chongqing  University)

A total of 10 brilliant speeches on energy resources, civil engineering, materials, environment and biology are being delivered by Academician Xie Heping from Shenzhen University, Academician Gu Dazhao from CNPC, Academician Li Gensheng, vice president of China University of Petroleum, Academician Mike Hood from the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, Academician Cai Meifeng University of Science and Technology Beijing, Academician Chen Shiqing from the American Academy of Science and the National Academy of Engineering of the USA, Academician Yuan Zhiguo from the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and Academician Wang Wei from the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering in the two-day period.

This Forum serves as a high-standard exchange platform for researchers of China and Australia, where they share and present achievements they have obtained in the five major areas including energy sources, civil engineering, materials, environment and biological medicine. It has further boosted the cooperation and communication between Chongqing University and foreign universities.

This Forum is jointly sponsored by the Energy and Mineral Engineering Faculty of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing Academy of S&T for Development, Queensland Chinese Association of Scientists and Engineers, Western Australia Chinese Scientists Association, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, and Griffith University.

On January 23, the five sub-forums on “resources and energy”, “civil engineering and architecture”, “material and manufacturing”, “environment and ecology”, “biological medicine and health” respectively were held at Kempinski Hotel Chongqing. Attendants of the Forum had heated and extensive discussion and communication over scientific and technological innovation and industrialization in areas including energy sources, new materials, environment, civil engineering and medicine and health. In particular, the sub-forum on “resources and energy” is organized by the Engineering Faculty of Chongqing University, State Key Lab of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, State Key Lab of Power Transmission Equipment and System Security and New Technology, State Key Lab of Coal Mine Disaster Monitoring and Emergency Techniques and the State Key Lab of Development and Comprehensive Utilization of Coking Coal Resources; the sub-forum on “civil engineering and architecture” is organized by Key Lab of New Technology for Construction of Cities in Mountain Area and Chongqing Geological Mineral Institute; the sub-forum on “materials and manufacturing” is organized by National Engineering Research Center for Magnesium Alloys and State Key Lab of Mechanical Transmissions, Chongqing University; the sub-forum on “environment and ecology” is organized by Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment , Ministry of Education; the sub-forum on “biological medicine and health” is organized by National-Local Joint Engineering Lab of Vascular Implants Development, Key Lab of Biorheological Science and Technology (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education and the Key Lab of Bio-medicine Information Engineering, the Ministry of Education.