Guiyang deputy calls to persist with innovation-driven development

Guiyang, the capital city of Southwest China's Guizhou province, is a national innovative city, ranking 24th among 72 cities evaluated in 2020 for the innovation capability index.

Chen Yan, mayor of Guiyang and a deputy to the National People's Congress, said that over recent years, Guiyang has promoted innovation-driven development, optimized sci-tech innovation systems and mechanisms and improved the urban innovation level. The role of science and technology in supporting and ensuring high-quality economic and social development has become more prominent.

The deputy said that the city continues to improve scientific and technological innovation systems and mechanisms and has seen significant improvement in sci-tech research and development capabilities.

Until now, Guiyang has been home to four national key laboratories, 56 provincial key laboratories, five national engineering technology research centers and 97 provincial-level centers.

The city also accelerated the cultivation of innovative entities. It has cultivated 3,177 provincial-level technology enterprises, and by the end of 2020, the number of high-tech companies in Guiyang had reached 1,210.

Guiyang has been improving its innovation and entrepreneurship environment, as well as its sci-tech supply level. By the end of 2020, a total of 548 science and technology projects were implemented, with total sci-tech funding of 215 million yuan ($33.22 million).

The city also witnessed fruitful scientific and technological cooperation with foreign countries, such as establishing Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv innovation centers in Guiyang National High-tech Industrial Development Zone.

To insist on innovation-drive development, Chen said the city would improve policies that support innovation, increase investments in R&D innovation, and cultivate more innovative market entities.

The deputy added that the city would continue to attract high-level and innovative talents by launching new policies, establishing more talent platforms and offering better services.

According to the mayor, Guiyang will also attach great importance to encouraging innovation among enterprises and cultivating more innovative companies.

Talking about sci-tech innovation work during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the mayor said that Guiyang would improve industrial technology innovation capabilities and strengthen innovative entrepreneurship entities' development. It will also accelerate the construction of a service chain for technological innovation and speed up establishing a highland for creative talents.