The China-UK Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation conference was held at Queen Mary University of London on July 8. 

The forum reviewed China's technological and innovative development at the regional, industrial and enterprise levels over the past 40 years, and its cooperation with the UK. 

Colin Baily, president and principal of Queen Mary University of London, expressed the hope that the China-UK Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Strategy could be a new starting point to further strengthen scientific research cooperation between the two countries, enabling them to work hand in hand to meet global challenges.

Ma Hui, minister of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, said that there are good prospects for China-UK cooperation on science, technology and innovation. China has strong innovative capabilities in engineering, an expanding talent pool, constantly improving infrastructure, a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, and a huge market, Ma noted, while the UK leads the world in research, and in commercialization of research results.

Lord Timothy Clement-Jones, a member of the House of Lords, told the Global Times that the forum was the first of its kind at the UK university, and that it could boost cooperation and dialogue between China and the UK on science, technology and innovation. 

"We had a strategic agreement on science, innovation and technology back in 2017 and we've carried that forward. We've got a commission on science, technology and innovation and we have a partnership fund. We want to take forward some of the measures under the Belt and Road Initiative." 

Fang Xin, a professor with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times that China and the UK have a long tradition of cooperation in the field of scientific research. China and the UK signed a bilateral cooperation agreement just over 40 years ago in 1978. "In 2018 alone, more then 10,000 papers jointly written by scientists from both countries were published, which shows the depth of cooperation," she added. 

The forum discussed a wide range of issues in the development of China-UK cooperation in science, technology and innovation, such as the policy cooperation needed to promote the joint strategy, and practical proposals for further research and policy analysis. The forum also discussed opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and industrial cooperation between the two countries.