Beijing, China - April 25, 2024 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Opening ceremony of 2024 Zhongguancun Forum
2. Sign showing "2024 ZGC Forum"
3. Various of attendees at opening ceremony
4. Various of Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also member of Standing Committee of Political Bureau of Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaking at opening ceremony
5. Various of attendees at opening ceremony
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jose Fernando, professor, University of Almeria in Spain (with reporter asking question):
"This is my 26th time. I love China."
(Reporter: "In China?")
"Yes. I love China."
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas Paul Bentley, professor, RMIT University in Australia:
"We're all working hard on life sciences and deep-computing technology, and thinking about the challenges of how we are going to solve some of the big-shared problems that we have in the world."
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Liane Windisch, director of Innovation and International Projects, Steinbeis School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE):
"We are specialized in the topic of dual education, so we combine that the students work for a company and at the same time enjoy the classical education."
9. Various of attendees interacting with robot
10. Various of attendees at forum venue

The iconic Zhongguancun Forum kicked off in Beijing on Thursday, tapping innovation of cutting-edge fields ranging from artificial intelligence to life sciences and new materials.

Themed "Innovating for a Better World," the forum targets to be a platform for pooling wisdom and sparking ideas with fortified alignment.

At the opening ceremony, esteemed guests and speakers, including government officials, industry leaders and renowned academics, shared their insightful visions about the future of technology and entrepreneurship.

The forum offers a rich tapestry of networking opportunities, workshops and panel discussions. Attendees seized the chance to connect with peers, share insights and explore potential synergies.

"This is my 26th time in China. I love China," said Jose Fernando, a professor with the University of Almeria in Spain.

Reflecting on the global challenges, Professor Thomas Paul Bentley from RMIT University in Australia emphasized their focus on life sciences and deep-computing technology, aiming to solve significant shared problems in the world.

"We're all working hard on life sciences and deep-computing technology, and thinking about the challenges of how we are going to solve some of the big-shared problems that we have in the world," said Bentley.

Liane Windisch, the director of Innovation and International Projects at Steinbeis School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE), highlighted their specialization in dual education, combining practical work experience with a classical education approach.

"We are specialized in the topic of dual education, so we combine that the students work for a company and at the same time enjoy the classical education," said Windisch.

Spanning five days from Thursday to Monday, this year's forum will host nearly 120 activities.

The forum will focus on artificial intelligence, life sciences, new materials, carbon peak, carbon neutrality, medical health, clean energy and other fields, and build a trading and sharing platform for more than 3,000 scientific and technological achievements from more than 40 countries and regions.