Scientific and technological innovation is a universal pursuit of human social development and modernization construction in various countries. Only in the face of the evolving scientific and technological innovation ecosystem, exploring and building a mutually beneficial and win-win global scientific and technological innovation cooperation model can the development opportunities of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation benefit the sustainable development of mankind.

In order to further promote international scientific and technological innovation exchanges and drive cooperation between countries in the "Belt and Road" to tap the potential for innovation growth, from June 10 to 12, the second "Belt and Road" Science and Technology Exchange Conference with the theme of "Constructing the Road to Innovation, Promoting Cooperation and Development - Working together to build a 'Belt and Road' Science and Technology Innovation Community" was held in Chengdu, Sichuan. China adheres to the path of multilateral open cooperation and development, and actively promotes the construction of a "Belt and Road" scientific and technological innovation community, which will bring new opportunities to the global south to embark on the road of innovative development.

Lead the new model of innovative development in the global south. Faced with the intertwined international situation and the historical development trend of shared destiny, the trend of multilateralism is irreversible, and multilateral open cooperation is more in line with the logic of human development than "priority to our country". Scientific and technological civilization is a shared wealth of all mankind. The advanced scientific and technological achievements created by every scientific and technological revolution in the history of human development will ultimately benefit all mankind. Based on this, since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan in 2017, China has cooperated with relevant countries, and a number of innovative projects born for the future have followed one after another. In 2023, China issued the "International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative", advocating the concept of openness, fairness, justice and non-discrimination in international science and technology cooperation, and promoting the construction of an equal and inclusive science and technology innovation partnership through unity and cooperation. Based on the "1 4 N" framework system of the "Belt and Road" Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan, China has established a special fund for the "Double Thousand" plan to support joint research and development, training of young scientists and innovation and entrepreneurship, etc., to promote the deepening and practical scientific and technological cooperation between southern countries in the world.

Bridge the gap in innovation and development in the global southern region. Innovation and development are the general pursuit of modernization in human society and countries. The scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation in history have only brought prosperity to a few countries, resulting in an imbalance in the distribution of international scientific and technological innovation centers. The new technological revolution and industrial transformation that mankind is currently experiencing is multi-point mass development, which transcends the limitations of geographical space and resource endowments, which brings new opportunities for the modernization of all countries. Under the new innovation growth model, all countries can play a unique role in the global innovation ecosystem.

Countries jointly built by the "Belt and Road" took the lead in establishing a community of scientific and technological innovation and actively built a win-win scientific and technological innovation partnership network, which will promote the deep integration of innovation chains, value chains, industrial chains and talent chains of all parties, and will help southern countries around the world to collectively grasp the development opportunities of the new round of scientific and technological revolution. As an important member of the Global South, China actively promotes scientific and technological cooperation among southern countries around the world, signed a series of bilateral intergovernmental scientific and technological cooperation documents, launched the "Belt and Road" special cooperation plan for scientific and technological innovation in many important fields, and supported Guangxi, Yunnan, Ningxia and other places to establish 10 international technology transfer centers for countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" and continuously deepen cooperation in technology transfer and innovation and entrepreneurship. The scientific and technological innovation community will bridge the global southern innovation gap and promote the accelerated modernization process of southern countries around the world.

Build a new pattern of innovation and development in the global southern region. Today, the global southern countries, who are in the new wave of technological revolution development, should not only jointly create a new historical chapter towards modernization, but also be at the forefront in the process of improving the global governance system. At present, unilateralism and protectionism are growing against the current, tariff wars and trade wars have led to the hindrance of the global supply chain and industrial chain. Some hegemonic countries pursue "national priority" and build high barriers to the flow of innovation factors. The global innovation and development pattern is facing severe challenges of imbalance.

The "Belt and Road" Science and Technology Innovation Community and Action Plan have built a cooperative network platform and construction plan for the construction of an international science and technology innovation pattern. China has established scientific and technological cooperation relations with more than 160 countries and regions, and there have been 119 intergovernmental scientific and technological agreements between China and foreign countries. The Belt and Road Initiative Science and Technology Innovation Community adheres to international scientific and technological cooperation that advocates science, innovative development, open cooperation, equality and inclusiveness, unity and cooperation, and inclusive win-win results. It promotes the sharing of scientific and technological innovation achievements in open cooperation, promotes the stability and smooth flow of the industrial chain and supply chain through high-level interconnection, reforms and improves the global science and technology governance system, and shapes a diversified and integrated science and technology ecological system, which will draw a new picture for building a mutually beneficial and win-win international science and technology innovation pattern.

Shape a new order of innovation and development in the global southern region. The scientific and technological revolution and the game of great powers are intertwined. Competition in the high-tech field has become the forefront of international competition and will profoundly reshape the global order. Fighting for technological power under the logic of hegemony has become the basic logic for hegemony countries to reshape the global technological order, and "small courtyards and high walls", tariff coercion, and long-arm jurisdiction have become important tools for competition for technological power. Choosing competition for power or mutual benefit and win-win results directly affects the evolution direction of the international order.

Learn from the past and know the future. The laws of operation of international order and historical experience after World War II have proved that the multilateralist concept with coordination and cooperation as the cornerstone is the best way to solve global problems, and promoting international cooperation is also the only way to improve global governance. History shows the future, and working together to modernize is the common demand of southern countries around the world. The construction of the "Belt and Road" scientific and technological innovation community that adheres to the principle of consultation, joint construction and sharing, and is mutually beneficial and win-win, not only transcends the logic of competition for technological power, but also gets rid of the dilemma of zero-sum game thinking, and breaks the barriers between exchanges and mutual learning between science and technology and civilization.

The ancient Silk Road has opened up the geographical isolation of the exchanges between Eastern and Western civilizations. In the digital era where mankind is accelerating towards a new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the construction of the "Belt and Road" scientific and technological innovation community has built a "digital bridge" for civilized exchanges and mutual learning. More than ever, the world needs to establish an innovative partnership that is inclusive, symbiotic, mutually beneficial and win-win, and needs to bridge the gap in innovation and development, and needs to use scientific and technological civilization to promote the sustainable development of human civilization.

(Author: Tang Xinhua, associate researcher at the Institute of International Relations, Tsinghua University)

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