Global collaboration and the increased openness of China's scientific facilities and research achievements will be key themes at the upcoming Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing, the country's premier science and technology event.

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Lin Xin, vice-minister of science and technology, said the forum will highlight Beijing's evolving role — from serving as an international science and technology innovation center to anchoring a broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei innovation hub aimed at fostering deeper industrial collaboration across the region.

The forum, scheduled to take place from March 25 to 29, will feature specialized sessions on cutting-edge fields such as 6G, brain-computer interfaces and cell and gene therapy.

China will also release its list of 10 major scientific advancements, along with an international cooperation action plan. To further promote the commercialization and application of scientific achievements, a series of events, including frontier technology competitions and technology trade conferences, will be held.

"Beijing has increased its investment in science and technology, allocating over 6 percent of government spending to foster industrial clusters with industrial output above 1 trillion yuan ($145.4 billion) in next-generation information technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and scientific services, advancing regional innovation," Jin Wei, vice-mayor of Beijing, said at the news conference.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), technology contract transactions from Beijing to Tianjin and Hebei province surpassed 320 billion yuan, a 1.7-fold increase from the previous five years.

"This reflects the accelerated transfer of innovative achievements to the region, enhancing its role as a science and technology innovation hub. Greater efforts are being devoted to building the hub into an international center," Jin added.

To date, the Huairou National Comprehensive Science Center in Beijing has developed 37 scientific facility platforms, with 29 already operational.

These platforms have collectively provided 1.77 million hours of shared machine time for global use, leading to 439 major scientific breakthroughs.

Ahead of the forum, Luo Minmin, director of the Chinese Institute for Brain Research in Beijing, emphasized the importance of global collaboration.

The institute will unveil the new Beinao-2 model at the forum. Luo noted that while the United States has a longer history in BCI research, Europe is making significant strides and China is focusing on developing invasive BCI technologies.

"Europe, the US and China should work together to create better products for society," Luo said, highlighting the technology's potential to aid those who are paralyzed or have suffered a stroke.

Duncan Ivison, president of the University of Manchester, signed agreements with Peking University and Tsinghua University in Beijing on Monday.

"We are particularly interested in collaborating with our Chinese partners on major global challenges, including climate change, clean energy technology and healthcare — addressing some of the toughest issues facing the world today."