A research and development platform for laser technology is expected to boost the innovative development of Shanghai’s laser technology. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]

A research and development (R&D) platform for laser technology will be set up in Jiading which is expected to boost the innovative development of Shanghai's laser technology, according to a press conference held in Jiading on May 25.

At the press conference, the Shanghai Jiading Industrial Zone signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIOM), the Shanghai Integrated Circuit R&D Center and the Shanghai Institute of Laser Technology.

All parties agreed to accelerate independent innovation of key laser technology in an effort to help Shanghai become a global hub for science and technology and promote the brand influence of "Made in Shanghai."

Liu Yan, Party secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, said that enterprises should ramp up efforts to boost innovation and achieve independent control of key core technologies under the complex and changing international situation.

He also expressed hope that the platform will promote the integrated application of innovative technologies, help attract more high-end talent and explore new methods of technological innovation.

The Jiading District Party Committee Lu Fangzhou said that in recent years, the district has made great efforts to deepen cooperation with scientific research institutions and has carried out 41 key projects related to advanced technologies such as proton therapy demonstration plant. The district is now home to more than 400 enterprises which were jointly established by the local government and research institutions, all of which have an annual output value of nearly 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion).

Currently, Jiading is making efforts to set up a national industrial park for intelligent sensors, which will complement the local industrial clusters for integrated circuits and the internet of things, according to Lu.

The national SIOM boasts a solid academic and scientific research foundation. The cooperation between the four parties will facilitate the integration of sci-tech resources and draw on their complementary advantages, which will propel the commercialization and application of the scientific research of laser technology.

Additionally, the partnership will help Jiading foster leading enterprises, promote the establishment of an innovative center for the laser industry, and form an industrial cluster with a production value of 10 billion yuan within 10 to 15 years.