Annual sci-tech conference to host 118 themed forums in July

The 28th Annual Conference of the China Association for Science and Technology will run through July, serving as a pivotal platform to mobilize the nation's scientific community to seize the commanding heights of technological development and provide support for Chinese modernization, officials said at a news conference in Beijing on Friday.

Qu Dacheng, deputy director of CAST's department of science and technology innovation, said that the monthlong event will be held at the China Science and Technology Hall and the National Science and Technology Communication Center in Beijing.

"The conference is strategically timed to coincide with the inception of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30)," Qu said.

The event, themed "Seizing the Commanding Heights, Generating New Momentum, Providing Scientific and Technological Support for Chinese Modernization", will host 118 themed forums co-organized by over 100 academic societies.

The main forum will feature keynote speeches on strategic fields including fundamental science, brain-computer interfaces, hydrogen and nuclear fusion energy, and embodied artificial intelligence. The 2026 Major Scientific Questions and Engineering Challenges will also be unveiled at the main forum to rally researchers to tackle bottleneck technologies.

Wang Su, a CAST official, said the event places strong emphasis on empowering the next generation of talents. More than 200 young researchers have been selected as academic secretaries for the forums, participating in planning, organization and results synthesis. Around 100 young scholars will attend the main forum, and a dedicated parallel session will feature a meeting between the CAST president and young scientists.

Discussions will span critical industrial frontiers. Sessions on information and communications technology will delve into 6G network architecture and integrated sensing, computing, and data intelligence. Additionally, a forum on strategic mineral resources will be held in Kunming, Yunnan province, addressing supply chain security for critical minerals such as tin, antimony and germanium. The forum will also include field visits and the formulation of policy recommendations.

Across all forums, a mechanism has been institutionalized for "non-consensus topics", encouraging academic debate rather than rehearsed consensus.