A researcher at the JFS Laboratory. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Since receiving approval to establish a nationally influential sci-tech innovation center in April 2022, Wuhan city of Central China's Hubei province has been accelerating the transformation of sci-tech achievements into practical productivity.

The East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as the Optics Valley of China, or OVC) stands out in the optoelectronic information sector, with compound semiconductors being one of its unique pathways for future industrial layout. Focusing on the research and innovation of compound semiconductors, the JFS Laboratory has hundreds of projects running simultaneously, contributing to the formation of an industrial system in the valley that is centered on storage chips and compound semiconductors.

In recent years, Hubei has successively established 10 such provincial laboratories, most of which are located in Wuhan. It has also improved its sci- tech innovation system, and dismantled obstacles that hinder industrialization.

In 2023, Hubei signed 98,844 technology contracts, with a transaction amount of 480.22 billion yuan ($67.71 billion). This shows an increase of over 300 billion yuan compared to 2020, representing a surge of 185 percent.