The 2026 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) Annual Conference opened on Wednesday in Beijing under the theme "Full Integration Between Technological and Industrial Innovation." The event runs from March 25 to 29.

More than 1,000 guests from over 100 countries and regions are taking part in the conference, which features five main sections: forum sessions, achievement releases, technology trade fairs, frontier competitions, and supporting events.

Core activities include the opening ceremony and plenary session, parallel forums, achievement announcements, the ZGC International Technology Trade Fair, and the Grand Final of the Zhongguancun International Advanced Technology Innovation Competition.

This year's forum highlights the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, focusing on frontier fields such as 6G, brain-computer interfaces, and cell and gene therapies.

Over 20 technology matchmaking events will be held, with more than 500 domestic and international projects participating in roadshows and promotional activities.

"The promotion of extensive artificial intelligence (AI) applications will also be a highlight of this year’s ZGC Forum," said Jin Wei, vice mayor of Beijing, at a recent press conference.

Jin noted that participants will witness firsthand how AI is empowering industries. For instance, AI "interpreters" will expand language services from two to eight languages, including French, Russian, and Spanish.

As an international science and technology innovation hub, Beijing continues to promote a systematic approach to developing innovation platforms. Jin revealed that the city has prioritized high-quality operational support for national laboratories, established 145 national key laboratories, and built 10 world-class R&D institutions in frontier fields, such as life sciences, next-generation information technology, and applied mathematics.

Founded in 2007 with the permanent theme "Innovation and Development," the ZGC Forum has grown into a global, open, and high‑level platform for advancing global science and technology innovation.

(With input from Xinhua)