Chongqing will host the 2026 World Science and Technology Development Forum from October 21 to 23, expecting around 800 attendees from nearly 40 countries and regions. Participants will include leading experts, heads of international science and technology organizations, and executives from high-tech industries. The forum’s theme is “Co-evolution: Shaping a New Ecosystem for Future Industries.”
During the opening ceremony, organizers will present the “Top 10 Annual Science and Technology Foresights.” Notable keynote speakers include David López Pérez, a professor at Universitat Politècnica de València; Zhu Huarong, Chairman of China Changan Automobile Group; and Nils Stensønes, a member of Academia Europaea.
The forum will feature 12 parallel discussions over three days, organized by international scientific and technological organizations and national societies. Topics will cover frontier technologies and digital foundations, intelligent products and advanced manufacturing, green energy and low-carbon systems, and global challenges with collaborative governance.
A symposium at the forum will allow government leaders, academicians, and experts to provide insights on Chongqing’s industrial development. Prior to the event, 12 academicians and more than 100 experts formed seven research groups to address key issues related to the city’s push for high-quality development, with recommendations to be shared during the symposium.
In an effort to showcase Chongqing’s innovation ecosystem, the forum will include science and technology visits for attendees. Four visit routes will illustrate the city’s achievements in energy revolution and future industries, intelligent manufacturing, germplasm innovation and biotechnology, and urban transportation and planning.
The China Association for Science and Technology and the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government are co-hosting the event. Chongqing is currently transitioning from traditional manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing, marking a significant shift in its industrial approach.
Data from the 14th Five-Year Plan period indicate substantial growth in Chongqing’s high-tech sector, including a 2.5-fold increase in high-tech enterprises and a 2.9-fold growth in science and technology companies. Additionally, there was a doubling of R&D personnel, a 6.4-fold rise in technology contract transaction value, and an increase in invention patents per 10,000 people by 1.4 times.
Recently, the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index ranked Chongqing 52nd among the world’s top 100 innovation clusters, an improvement of five places from the previous year.
