The 2020 Pujiang Innovation Forum, which will bring together more than 160 world renowned scientists and researchers from 20 countries to discuss the future trends of technological development and cooperation, is set to kick off in Shanghai on October 22 and will last till October 30. 

The event, held by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Shanghai's municipal government, is themed "Science and Technology Cooperation and Innovation Co-governance" this year. 

Serbia, the guest of honor of the forum, will participate in the conference online.  

A "Global Technology Transfer Conference" will also be held as part of the forum, according to MOST officials at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.  

It will showcase China's achievements in R&D, enterprise innovation demand docking, and the launching of SMEs' innovative products.  

Parallel forums will be held simultaneously, including the "Belt and Road" seminar, the YES Youth Summit, the Technology Finance Forum, the Future Science Forum, and the Green Technology Bank Summit Forum. 

Among the guests confirmed to participate, Yao Qizhi, the Turing Award's first Asian scientist and Shi Yigong, the Chinese Academy of Sciences academician, will deliver speeches at the opening ceremony.  

Nearly ten political leaders and top scientists will send the congratulatory speeches via the internet, including Andrei Fursenko, assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science and Technology and Higher Education of Portugal, and Martina Hirayama, Secretary of State for Education, Research and Innovation of the Swiss Confederation.  

The Pujiang Innovation Forum was founded in 2008. Since its inception, it has attracted more than a thousand senior political leaders, academic and business elites worldwide. 

(Cover: The Ministry of Science and Technology and Shanghai's municipal government will hold the 2020 Pujiang Innovation Forum from October 22 to October 30. More than 160 world well-known scientists and researchers from 20 countries will join the discussion on "Science and Technology Cooperation and Innovation Co-governance". / Photo provided by Chinese Ministry of Science of Technology)