Chen Ping, director of the management committee of Optics Valley, gives her views at the Belt & Road Initiative Scientific and Technological Park Forum in Beijing on Sept 17. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The achievements to recover from the novel coronavirus epidemic made by Optics Valley of China in Wuhan city, made a splash at the Belt & Road Initiative Scientific and Technological Park Forum -- a parallel forum of the 2020 ZGC Forum -- held in Beijing on Sept 17, according to local media reports.

The gathering attracted the participation of representatives of dozens of science and technolog parks at home and abroad, seeking the cooperation of parks to help with the global economic recovery.

Chen Ping, director of the management committee of the zone, was invited to attend and speak at the forum.

Chen told the event that amid the post-epidemic recovery, the zone was grabbing the opportunities presented by the reconstruction of global industry supply chains.

She said it was continuing to strengthen its cooperation with science and technology parks in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, or the BRI.

In recent years, she added, the zone has supported companies to innovate and start their own businesses across national borders. As a result, it has built science and technology parks in Belgium, Myanmar, Indonesia and South Africa -- as well as supported enterprises to carry out international science and technology cooperation projects.

One example is BGI Group, a resident firm of the zone, which worked with countries involved in the BRI to build its specialist Huo-Yan Laboratory, which are nucleic acid testing labs designed to detect the novel coronavirus. At present, 17 countries and regions have built the labs, which have become something of calling cards for China in its actions against the global epidemic.

Chen said the zone has continued with its promotions of innovation and entrepreneurship -- and continued to hold the Optica Valley of China International Photoelectronic Exposition and Forum (OVC Expo) and Bio-Expo, to attract representatives from countries involved in BRI to participate and help with the transfer of technology, industry and products.

She said the zone has continued to improve the business environment and international, and to date it has attracted more than 6,000 entrepreneurial and research teams with top people from home and abroad -- as well as more than 1,000 foreign-funded companies and nearly 100 of the Fortune Global 500 enterprises -- to settle there.

Chen said that the zone region will keep improving its business environment, as well as strengthen links with the countries' science and technology parks of countries involve in the BRI.

She said it would focus on strengthening research and development cooperation and develop innovative products against COVID-19.

As well, it would closely communicate with science and technology parks in countries involving BRI. It would promote their common development in accordance with the deployment and requirements of the State Council, for advancing the high-quality development of the high-tech zones.