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Roadshow
Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing. 4 Steps. 4 Cities. 4 Bridges of cooperation between Italy and China on technology research and innovation. This is the aim of the Roadshow – promoted by the Italian Ministry of Research, MOST (Ministry of Science and Technology), Consulate General of Italy in Chongqing, International Technology Transfer Network, Beijing Municipal Science Technology Commission and organized by Città della Scienza – that travelled across the cities in the South and South-West of China to enhance the synergies and to discuss exchange opportunities in view of the upcoming Italy-China Science Technology & Innovation Week 2016, the main cooperation event between Italy and China on science and technology, to be held in Italy in October 25-27, held in Italy on 25-27 October 2016.
FIRST STEP – 16 -17 APRIL: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN SHENZHEN ON INNOVATIVE CITIES
From 16 to 17 April 2016 at the headquarters of the Convention & Exhibition Center in Shenzhen, it was held the “14th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP 2016)”, with a particular focus on “Technology Transfer in Innovative City”.
The initiative was promoted by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and by the State Administration of Foreign Affairs and organized by ITTN-International Technology Transfer Network on the topics of: Innovative City Development, Healthcare, Mobile Health, Industry 4.0, 3D Printing Innovation & Engineering Manufacture.
“Innovation Cities” was the main focus of the event of this year and it is also an important topic in China. Therefore, the event represented a very important opportunity for launching an international debate among experts from the US, Canada, Russia, Italy, Finland, Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Thailand, India, Israel, England and Holland.
Among the Italian participants there were:
– Andrea Gumina, Ministry of Economic Development, who proposed a speech on Smarter and Sustainable Cities as a source of growth and competitiveness from an Italian point of view.
– Luigi Campitelli, Lazio Innova, who presented the 2016 events that involved the Lazio Region.
– Antonio Cianci, DLC Partners, who proposed a presentation on technologies and economic initiatives of international cooperation for better cities.
– Mariangela Contursi, Città della Scienza, with a speech on the knowledge based economy.
SECOND STEP – 21 APRIL: SHANGHAI. OPENING CEREMONY OF THE CHINA (SHANGHAI) INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY FAIR 2016
On 21 April 2016, at the presence of the Italian Minister of Education, University and Research Stefania Giannini and the Minister for Science and Technology Wan Gang, it was successfully inaugurated the Fourth Edition of the China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair, the most important event held in Shanghai on the industrial and innovation field. Thousands of exhibitors showed the technological excellences of the global industry in different sectors in the Shanghai World Exhibition & Convention Center. Italy, invited as Country of Honor in the 2016 Edition, organized through the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ITA Office in Shanghai – with the coordination of Città della Scienza and under the aegis of the Italian Ministry of Research – the full participation of the Italian delegation representing approximately a hundred organizations belonging to the research and enterprises world in order to present the Italian Country-System on the subject of the Smart Cities. Minister Giannini inaugurated the Italian Pavilion, where the Smart Cities projects were exposed, visited the Exhibition and met the Italian excellences, both the ones already settled in Shanghai and those participating in the mission. In their Opening Speeches, Ministers Stefania Giannini and Wan Gang underlined the importance of cooperation between Italy and China and emphasized the Smart Cities topic as being part of the priorities of cooperation between the two countries. Finally, Minister Giannini highlighted the importance of the meeting on science, technology and innovation between China and Italy, that in 2016 was held from 25 to 27 October in Bergamo, Bologna and Naples: the 7th Edition of the Italy-China Science, Technology and Innovation Week.
THIRD STEP – 25 APRIL: FIRST DAY IN CHENGDU
On Monday, April 25, the Roadshow for the promotion of the Italy-China Science Technology & Innovation Week 2016 (October from 25th to 27th) started in the Province of Sichuan in the South-Western China. The launch conference was held at the Department of Science and Technology of the Sichuan Provincial Government and was attended by the Deputy Director-General, Tian Yunhui, the Consul General of Italy in Chongqing, Sergio Maffettone, the CEO of Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, and the representative of BMSTC, Betty Chang, in order to present the Italy-China cooperation program. A large audience of over 60 representatives of research institutes, universities, science and technology departments of the governmental institutions of Sichuan Province attended the presentation. As pointed out by the Consul General, the presentation of the Italy-China Science Technology & Innovation Week 2016 stands as a catalyst for the growth of partnerships in science and technology between the two countries. The event aims at promoting the Chinese participation in the 2016 edition and is the result of the intergovernmental agreement between the Italian Ministry of Research and MOST and was organized by Città della Scienza, International Technology Transfer Network (ITTN), China International Technology Transfer Center (CITTC), Italian Consulate General in Chongqing and with the patronage of the Sichuan Department for Science and Technology. The CEO of Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, said: ” Italy-China Science Technology & Innovation Week has become a good practice in the internationalization of innovative research-enterprise systems. In recent years, thanks to the program approved by the Italian Ministry of Research and MOST hundreds of trade agreements and joint research projects have been signed by creating a stable cooperation platform. The presence of Italian and Chinese Prime Ministers, Matteo Renzi and Li Keqiang, at the closure of the fifth edition of the Week in Italy and the great success of sixth edition in China are the basis to build an even bigger event in terms of attendance and cooperation projects. Italy welcomes Chengdu friends with the aim to strengthen scientific and economic cooperation as well as friendship relations “. Afterwards, the CEO together with the Consul General Maffettone met the members of EUPIC-EU Project Innovation Centre in Chengdu and discussed about the launch of an Best Startup Showcase, a great innovation of the 2016 Week. The Roadshow for the promotion of the Italy-China Science Technology and Innovation Week continued at the Chengdu Planning Exhibition Hall, where videos and models displayed the impressive investment projects for the development of Sichuan Province.
THIRD STEP – 26 APRIL: SECOND DAY IN CHENGDU
On Tuesday, April 26, the CEO of the Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, the Italian Consulate General in Chongqing and Chinese partners of ITTN and BMSTC were welcomed by the Commission for Science and Technology of the Municipality of Chengdu for the second day of the Roadshow. The schedule of the visit included the Sichuan University, one of the oldest universities in China and ranked among the top ten most famous Chinese universities. Undertaken a considerable number of projects at national, ministerial and regional levels, the Sichuan University is well known to be active in the scientific research and for the strong interest in the cooperation with Italian universities and research centers in the field of aerospace, chemicals and biomaterials as demonstrated by the numerous collaborations agreed with the Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies of the Italian National Research Council. The last promotion day in Chengdu ended with the visit to the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, specialized in IT and where some of the major figures who are now working in the IT industry in China, such as Huawei, studied. During the meeting it was announced the intention to cooperate with Italy in the areas of Health and Smart Cities.
FOURTH STEP – 27 APRIL: FIRST DAY IN CHONGQING
The Roadshow for the promotion of the Italy-China Science Technology & Innovation Week 2016 in the Southwest China arrived in Chongqing. Chongqing is the largest municipality in China with about 33 million inhabitants, with a new high-tech research and production center with the largest cloud computing center of Asia. In Chongqing it has been located the new Consulate General of Italy. The city is the nerve center for the implementation of policies and strategies aimed at economic growth in the western regions of China, such as the “Go West” program, promoted in 2000 by the Ministry of Economics. Chongqing has benefited from considerable investments by the central Government fostering a significant economic growth. Chongqing was at the focus of attention during the last edition of the China-Italy Science Technology & Innovation Week because of its strong importance in the Chinese strategy One Belt, One Road, which progressively binds China to Italy. Last November, the Bishan People’s Square and the Hechuan District hosted the Italian Minister of Research Stefania Giannini and many cooperation agreements between research centers, universities and important Italian and Chinese organizations were signed there. The CEO of Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, met the representatives of the Yuzhong District Government, together with the Italian Consul General in Chongqing, Sergio Maffettone, and the Project Manager of the Galileo Galilei Institute of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Anna Facchinetti. The meeting between the CEO of Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, the Vice Mayor of Chongqing, Lu Qiang, the Municipality Minister of Agriculture of Chongqing, Liu Baoguo, and the Head of International Relations of the Municipality, Fan Qing, was particularly significant. The issues discussed included the cooperation program between Italy and China and the Italian areas of excellence, particularly the ones of Campania region. The main focus areas were agriculture, aerospace and digital fabrication, all successful topics during the Week 2015 in terms of participation and proposed projects. Another important event of the day was the opening ceremony of the Sino-Italian Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding at the Institute of Burn Research, Southwest Hospital by Prof. Luigi Ambrosio, Director of the Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies of the National Research Center, and Prof. Jun Wu.
FOURTH STEP – 28 APRIL: SECOND DAY IN CHONGQING
During the second day of this step of the Roadshow in Chongqing, the CEO of Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, met the representatives of Hechuan District Government with Consul General Sergio Maffettone, the Chinese partners of BMSTC and ITTN. Last year the district of Hechuan hosted the second day of the China-Italy ST&I Week with the participation of the Italian Minister Stefania Giannini who inaugurated the event in Chongqing Municipality with the Italian delegation composed of research centers, universities and enterprises. As explained by Director Mr. Zhuan, the district is located in an important position for the development of the western regions of China and therefore plays a strategic role within the Chinese policy One Belt, One Road. The district is specialized in IT, Health, Robotics and Automotive. During the meeting, Director Mr. Zhuan expressed his intention to take Città della Scienza as a model to implement in the Hechuan District, as demonstrated by its success as reference point for the Italy-China cooperation in technology, production and business. Later, it was held the meeting with the Bishan District Government of Chongqing Municipality, formerly location of the first event in Chongqing in the 2015 edition. The Director of Science and Technology Commission of Bishan District expressed his appreciation for the Italian presence at the 2015 Forum and for bringing Italian excellences to this area for the development of fruitful partnerships. The meeting was also attended by the representatives of BMSTC and ITTN. During the cocktail party organized in the evening by the Italian Consulate General in Chongqing, the ITTN Western Office and Città della Scienza, it was presented the Italy-China Science Technology & Innovation Week 2016. An audience of a hundred Chinese innovators interested in cooperating with Italy in the field of science and technology, together with Chinese media, participated in the event. Consul Maffettone expressed his gratitude to the guests participating and underlined that Italy is well-known abroad particularly for its culture and art, but its scientific and technological innovation are also strategic excellences. Afterwards, the CEO Vincenzo Lipardi presented the yearly program of internationalization and the 2016 edition of the Week. The Director of BMSTC Betty Chang presented the success stories of the program. The event was coordinated by Niki Huang, Chairman of ITTN Western Office of Chongqing. The Roadshow ended with a meeting with Ma Leju, former First Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology at the Chinese Embassy in Rome, currently member of APEC, and with the Deputy Director of ITTN Rachel Tian, Head of the Shanghai Area.
FOURTH STEP – 29 APRIL: LAST DAY OF THE ROADSHOW
The first meeting was held with the Chongqing Administrative Committee in the Liangjiang New Area Science Technology Innovation, a new development area where the main producers of automobiles and laptops of the whole China are located, industrial pillars of the Automotive Industry, IT and Advanced Science & Technology. Furthermore, the main sectors of interest of this area include: Biomedicine, Transportation & Technology Innovation Nanotechnologies, Environmental Protection, New Technologies, Energy, Manufacturing Industries (Smart Robots). During the meeting it was also discussed about the development of a Sino-Italian Industrial Park specialized in the areas of Advanced Manufacturing and Technologies for Environmental Protection with activities concerning research, intellectual property rights and finance. For the Administrative Committee of Liangjiang New Area the following persons attended the meeting: Deputy Director of the General Office of Industry Promotion Bureau Wang Bokun, the Deputy Director of the Industry Promotion Bureau Zheng Hang, Project Manager Han Qicai. Director Yang Chunlin of ITTN and Anna Facchinetti Galileo Galilei Institute also attended the meeting. The second meeting of the day was held with the Chongqing Academy of Science and Technology (CAST), an organization affiliated to the Chongqing Science and Technology Commission and considered the largest research centre in Chongqing. During the meeting, Vice President Li Leiting, Director of the Department of R&D Management Mingzheng Yu, Director of International Cooperation Hui Chen and Chairman of the Board Huang Weihua discussed about important topics for the cooperation with Italy. Among the main sectors, there are those of Smart Manufacturing, Smart Cities and Green Environment, and the interest to exchange experiences in the field of Technology Transfer and Incubation.
