Tech hub to host IASP congress

Zhongguancun, Beijing's high-tech hub, has been selected to host the 2015 annual congress for International Association of Science Parks. The district had previously hosted the event in 1995 and 2005. The science park's bid beat out rivals from Italy, Russia and Poland at an IASP meeting in mid-October in Recife, Brazil. Hosting the event helps to integrate innovative resources from China and abroad to sharpen the competitive edge of local companies, according to the administrative committee.

Standardization center to open

The Standardization Administration of China recently announced plans to build a national tech standardization and innovation center in Zhongguancun, the first of its kind in the country. While the administration will provide support in formulating standards, information resources, international events, research and training, the Zhongguancun standardization and innovation service center is in charge of the two-year construction. Local companies had participated in formulation and revision of more than 4,400 standards by 2012, including some 100 for international organizations, 2,500 at the national level, 125 for local economies and nearly 1,700 industrial standards.

Patents up in science park

A total of 29 Zhongguancun companies each filed at least 100 patent applications in the first three quarters of this year, about 70 percent of the 100-filing applicant ranks in Beijing. During the same period, patent filings by Zhongguancun companies increased 27.4 percent year-on-year to more than 23,300, contributing 27.8 percent of the capital's total. Of the applications from the high-tech business park, nearly 13,500 filings were for invention patents, an increase of 22.1 percent.

CEO delegation visits DC

During a five-day visit to Washington, DC, at the end of October, a business delegation comprising senior executives of 12 Zhongguancun companies found "fruitful" the talks with US government agencies, trade associations and service organizations. Of the participants from Beijing, Broad Energy Service Co decided to set up its US headquarters in the capital and Sanzen Energy Technology Co signed an agreement to import technology. Melst interested US charity groups with its hearing aid technology and was invited to Gallaudet University, the first school for advanced education for the deaf and hearing-impaired students in the United States, for promotion. And four construction companies were recommended by Washington Mayor Vincent Gray to learn about related policies and standards at the US Green Building Council.