A corner of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing on March 25, 2026 Photo: VCG

As the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) opened in Beijing on Wednesday, the Top 10 Scientific Advances of 2025 in China were unveiled, spanning fields from aerospace to semiconductors. Chinese and foreign scientists and investors at the event lauded the country's innovation momentum and commercialization prospects.

The top 10 list includes first insights into the lunar far side's evolutionary history and giant impact effects derived from Chang'e-6 samples, an innovative method for large-scale fabrication of flexible and ultraflat diamond membranes, and controlled nuclear fusion devices that achieve "hundred-million-degree" operational conditions. The National Natural Science Foundation of China announced the Top 10 Scientific Advances in China of 2025 at the opening ceremony of the ZGC Forum.

Other selected advances include a full-featured hybrid 2D/silicon flash memory chip, the creation of high-performance flexible tandem solar cells for aerospace applications through novel interfacial regulation methods, and deciphering how ceramide receptors negatively respond to microbiotaderived metabolites to regulate disease onset.

At an expert forum held during the afternoon, Chinese experts in relevant fields elaborated on the significance and commercial prospects of the top 10 scientific advances, noting that these achievements reflect China's steady progress in strengthening independent scientific and technological development.

Explaining the innovative method used for the large-scale fabrication of flexible and ultraflat diamond membranes, Shan Chongxin, a professor at Zhengzhou University, said that the breakthrough opens up a new pathway for the semiconductor industry and will help advance China's semiconductor development.

The method is expected to accelerate the application of diamond membranes in next-generation high-performance electronics, flexible optoelectronics, quantum technologies, and related fields, according to the forum brochure, which described the top 10 scientific advances.

Speaking about her impression of the technological progress showcased at the ZGC Forum and seen during her visit to China, Susan Veldsman, a representative of the Academy of Science of South Africa, told the Global Times on Wednesday on the sidelines of the forum that China's development has been phenomenal.

The potential for further expansion in scope is enormous, with clear opportunities to broaden collaboration and partnerships. Globally, China is increasingly seen as a key reference point in industrialization, artificial intelligence (AI), and technological innovation, Veldsman said.

Dr. Joseph Olivier Mendo'o, director of the International Exchange Department at the China-Africa Business Council, said that this year's forum is noticeably more crowded, with growing interest in China's technological advancements.

He described technology as a key area for China-Africa cooperation, with technology transfers being a central focus of bilateral partnerships. He added that AI applications in agriculture, urban development, capacity building, traditional industries, and cultural integration are of particular interest.

Beyond the release of scientific and technological progress, this year's forum, themed "Integrate Technological and Industrial Innovation," also features a major technology trading section aimed at promoting investment and commercialization. 

More than 20 matchmaking events are being held during the five-day event, with road shows and presentations by more than 500 tech projects from China and abroad. The number of participating investment institutions has also reached a record high this year.

The forum's emphasis on advancing commercialization has attracted investment institutions from around the world, helping translate scientific and technological innovation into commercial growth.
 
Representatives of investment institutions and industry alliances across Europe, Latin America, and Africa told the Global Times that the ZGC Forum provides a valuable platform to apply China's advanced technological innovations in a more inclusive way to business development, and they hope that the forum will help facilitate cooperation.

"We believe that in the next few years, trade [between China and Argentina] will continue to grow. At forums like this, you can see everyone connecting and discussing business opportunities. For us, this is a big window of opportunity, and we are not going to miss it," Maximiliano Postigo, China Chapter director of the Argentine Chamber of Commerce for Asia and the Pacific, told the Global Times on Wednesday at the ZGC forum.

Christian Rolf Sommer, a German business representative, said that his company intends to bring Chinese products back to Germany. For example, it is working to set up a showroom for humanoid robotics, expressing interest in establishing contacts for cooperation, bringing Chinese companies and professionals to Germany for pilot projects, and introducing these Chinese developments and robots to the German market.