China's new chip, gene editing and more: 19 sci-tech advances unveiled

China on Monday released 19 original scientific advancements in physics, biology, and integrated circuits as the annual tech event, Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) concluded in Beijing.

Chosen from over 300 original works recommended by various ministries and organizations nationwide, these groundbreaking accomplishments represent the pinnacle of scientific advancements in China over the past year, according to Zhang Dongling, the director of major project division at the Zhongguancun Science Park Administrative Committee.

The achievements are distinguished by their originality and alignment with international standards, Zhang said, adding that they represent groundbreaking work in fundamental research areas such as physics, biology, integrated circuits, and large scientific facilities. 

The results span commercial aerospace, equipment manufacturing, chip technology, blockchain, and 6G technologies. The selection also includes a range of scientific and technological outcomes that are closely related to public benefit, such as cancer drugs, medical devices, synthetic biology, and agricultural technology.

The results were released across four thematic segments. Five pioneering and breakthrough scientific achievements were unveiled under the sector "Facing the World's Scientific Frontiers," including the first electron beam conducted at the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) in Beijing's Huairou District, the in-memory computing chip developed by Tsinghua University and China Mobile Research Institute, and the first live birth of a chimeric monkey using embryonic stem cell lines.

Products such as the liquid-fueled rocket Zhuque-2 developed by China's commercial aerospace company LandSpace, a 10,000 meter level drilling rig, and the Chang'an Chain privacy computing open platform were deemed substantial and having wide application scenarios.

The super-large-scale integrated photonic quantum chip, the Rydberg atom electric field sensing system, 6G communication technology platform and modern semantic communication system, and a new type of high-yield semi-dwarf wheat fall into the category of "Facing National Major Needs."

As for the public health and life sciences, results include a new generation of atomic magnetoencephalography (MEG) devices for brain disease diagnosis and research, stereo-seq technology for tissue cells and molecules study, a universal neuropeptide fluorescent probe kit for dynamic monitoring of neuropeptide concentrations, the development of a high-resistance, high-expression red ball bacteria chassis cell, and a series of innovative medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Founded in 2007, the ZGC Forum, with its enduring focus on innovation and development, has evolved into a national-level open innovation platform and an international forum over the years.

Located in northwestern Beijing, Zhongguancun houses more than 17,000 national high-tech enterprises. It is China's first national high-tech industrial development zone and is known as "China's Silicon Valley."