A news conference on the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference and its parallel forums is held in Beijing on Friday.

The Zhongguancun International Innovation Center is the main venue for the 2026 ZGC Forum.

The 2026 Zhongguancun Forum opens on Wednesday in Beijing, bringing together more than 1,000 participants from over 100 countries and regions.

With the theme "Full Integration Between Technological and Industrial Innovation", the five-day event features more than 100 activities including parallel forums, technology trade fairs and competitions.

Speaking at a news conference in mid-March, Lin Xin, vice-minister of science and technology, said the event would highlight Beijing's transition from an international science and technology innovation center to an expanded Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei innovation hub.

Lin said that it would also highlight the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent cultivation.

The national list of 10 major scientific advancements of 2025 will be released during the event, along with an international cooperation action plan and the Engineering Fronts 2025 report.

To aid the transition of research results and create a favorable innovation environment, over 20 technology trading and matchmaking events are scheduled for the forum, with approximately 500 sci-tech projects from home and abroad joining in road shows.

More than 100 technology managers from Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are to work as matchmakers at the ZGC International Technology Trade Center, connecting researchers and developers with potential investors.

The 2026 ZGC Forum also features the finals of the ninth Zhongguancun International Advanced Technology Competition.

Since 2017, the event has seen more than 30 participants evolve into unicorn enterprises — startups valued at over $1 billion.

The competition seeks to keep pace with global technological and industrial transformation by tracking the latest sci-tech developments. Under the model of "global participation, free exploration and open road shows", it provides a high-level international platform for the exchange and competition of advanced technology, according to organizers.

This year's competition has attracted 2,168 projects, about 40 percent of which are from overseas. Winners will be given prizes of up to 1 million yuan ($144,728) as well as service packages including free offices, financing and investment support and intellectual property services.

Jin Wei, vice-mayor of Beijing, said that the forum would offer visitors an impressive experience of how artificial intelligence is empowering different industries. AI-driven robots are set up around the venue, serving as performers, chefs, receptionists and interpreters proficient in eight languages.

Parallel forums

As an integral part of the ZGC Forum, this year's 60 parallel forums focus on topics such as global science and technology governance, basic research, technological advancements and innovation ecosystems, Zhao Zhe, director of the Beijing New Technology Application Promotion Center, said at a news conference prior to the forum.

Of the 60 forums, 21 are jointly held by Chinese organizers and international organizations and overseas institutions, showcasing the event's progress in linking global resources and expanding opening-up.

UNESCO will co-host the Open Science International Forum on Thursday, and the World Intellectual Property Organization will co-host the Global Forum on Intellectual Property Protection and Innovation on Wednesday afternoon.

In terms of basic research, the National Natural Science Foundation Academic Forum is dedicated to the integration of electric power and computing power, bionic intelligence and high-speed maglev, with the aim of matching basic research with national strategic needs.

Participants in the Ocean Science and Development Forum will delve into issues such as the ecological functions of marine micro-organisms and the evolution of coastal ecosystems, while the Sci-Tech Forum on the Development and Utilization of Earth-Moon Space will convene experts to discuss the latest research advances in lunar exploration and resource utilization technologies.

To foster the integration of scientific research and industrial development, an array of parallel forums will be held on cutting-edge fields such as embodied intelligence, quantum technology, 6G, brain-computer interfaces and fusion energy.

For the first time, the event includes a forum on the sci-tech services industry. It has demonstrated the industry's vital role in establishing the modern industrial system, reflecting Beijing's commitment and determination to pool strength from all sides and support the industry, said Sun Qixin, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

During the High-Quality Development Forum for the Science and Technology Services Industry, representatives from Tsinghua University and the China Academy of New Supply-side Economies are to deliver keynote speeches, while numerous leading Chinese sci-tech service companies will showcase their achievements in new energy, urban security and intelligent equipment.

The 2025 Science and Technology Services Industry Development Report is to be released at the forum, which summarizes China's progress in the industry.

Additionally, the Forum on Women in Sci-Tech, which is in its fourth session this year, is to gather three top scholars — Xue Lan, dean of Tsinghua University's Schwarzman College; Chen Xuemei, a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States; and Xiang Qiao, chair of the China Women's Association for Science and Technology — who will offer insights into women's innovation potential and the ethical governance of science and technology.