The fifth World Intelligence Congress (WIC), themed “New Era of Intelligence: Empowering New Development, Fostering New Pattern”, kicked off at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center, Tianjin, China on May 20.
Wan Gang, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and President of China Association for Science and Technology, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
Li Hongzhong, Secretary of CPC Tianjin Committee, Desmond Lee, National Development Minister of Singapore, Kizo Hisamoto, Mayor of Kobe, Japan, and Li Xiaohong, president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, gave speeches, and Liao Guoxun, Mayor of Tianjin, presided over the opening ceremony.
Tianjin was an important transport and trading centre since the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368).
Wan Gang said Tianjin has been making strategic deployment in recent years to facilitate concentration of high-end resources and increase application scenarios for the purpose of propelling a boom of the new-generation artificial intelligence industry and making smart technology part of the daily life for the convenience of the local citizens.
He hoped Chinese scientists, entrepreneurs and management professionals in the AI sector could enhance multi-disciplinary and multi-field exchanges and cooperation with peers in other countries to make international cooperation a link under the country’s “dual circulation” economic development strategy.
Li Hongzhong said Tianjin will make efforts to improve the science and technology innovation capacity and become a pioneer in AI development. Tianjin will give full play to the leading role of enterprises in innovation, supporting them to make fundamental researches and researches for application purposes and seek breakthroughs in key technologies.
The city will also accelerate construction of intelligent infrastructure to drive development of manufacturing and further modernize local industry chains and supply chains.
It strives to set up a new ecosystem for development of intelligent technology as well as takes the initiative to tap into the global innovation network to strengthen cooperation with global partners in R&D, industrial development and projects.
Desmond Lee and Kizo Hisamoto hoped the event would allow more countries and cities to acquire a better understanding of AI so that they could enhance support for entrepreneurial activities related to AI and IT and use innovative technology to improve urban life.
It is learnt that the 5th WIC includes 18 parallel forums and 12 enterprise-led theme forums revolving around a list of hot topics such as prospects of intelligent technology industry, in-depth cooperation in intelligent technology projects, and AI, smart manufacturing, digital economy and smart cities.
It also includes a 48,000-square-meter intelligent technology, and five competitions. A total of 241 enterprises and organizations are showcasing their products and technologies.
Among them are 24 research and academic organizations such as Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Supercomputer Center and Nankai University, 45 of Fortune 500 and China’s Top 500 enterprises, including Huawei, Tencent, CEC, CRRC Corporation Limited and Alibaba, and also a number of Tianjin-based enterprises like Didi Chuxing, 360 Security and Tianjin Port (Group) Co Ltd, and foreign enterprises like Tesla Motors and Panasonic.
In addition, there is the pavilion of Singapore, the Guest Country of Honor at the event, and that of Kobe, the Guest City of Honor.
Statistics show that more than 200 projects with total investment of RMB100 billion are expected to be signed during the event.
The investment of domestic-funded projects are anticipated to exceed RMB80 billion, and about 80% of the projects will be new tech and new business projects from Beijing and Hebei province; the investment of 21 foreign-invested projects will reach US$2.422 billion.