Foreign Experts: China’s Innovation Ecosystem to Benefit the World

BEIJING, Feb. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from Science and Technology Daily: 

As China’s 2026 Two Sessions approach, the global community is looking not just for economic targets, but for insights into China’s unique development path, a path defined by people-centered development, open scientific collaboration, sustainable green transitions, and the harmonious coexistence of deep cultural roots with frontier technology.

“How can a civilization honor Liangzhu while racing ahead in quantum computing, microchips and AI?” asked Shahbaz Khan, director and UNESCO representative to the Regional Office for East Asia.

For Khan, who has been visiting China since 1999, the answer lies in a unique coexistence that defines the nation’s modernization. Recalling a time when “China was still catching up with the rest of the world,” Khan said he is struck by the “consistency of effort” seen today. “People work hard and they also cherish family, tradition and festivals,” he said. “There’s a balance between ambition and humanity.”

For Khan, China is a living model where “science serves society, innovation lifts communities, and progress is measured not just in patents or GDP, but in human dignity.” “That’s the beauty of China,” he remarked.

Foreign experts framed their expectations for the upcoming Two Sessions within this broader context of balanced and human-centric development. They anticipate that the policies discussed will not only drive technological breakthroughs but also institutionalize the open ecosystems and sustainable practices that allow this unique “Chinese model” to flourish and contribute globally.

Francesco Faiola, an Italian researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has spent 12 years in China, witnessing its transformation from “a phase of rapid catch-up to one characterized by systematic innovation.”

His expectations are built upon this solid foundation. He said recent policies focus on regional integration initiatives like the coordinated development of the “Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei” region and “Yangtze River Delta,” signaling China’s clear intention to build collaborative innovation ecosystems rather than isolated “peaks” of scientific excellence.

He welcomed the ongoing establishment of an open governance framework grounded in clear rules. “Clear rules inspire far greater confidence for long-term collaboration than ambiguous discretion,” Faiola said.

Regarding the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), Faiola observed that China’s commitment to international collaboration is evolving from “one-way introduction” to a deeper model of “two-way exchange” and “joint ecosystem building.” Chinese scientists are already taking a leading role in global discussions on ethical standards for stem cell research, marking a shift from “participant” to “contributor.”

Building on this positive momentum, Faiola anticipates continued empowerment for major international scientific programs jointly led by Chinese and foreign teams. Citing global research on emerging pollutants as a prime example, he said such collaborations will significantly enhance China’s growing influence in shaping the global scientific agenda.

Confident in the ecosystem’s current vitality, Faiola highlighted its proven ability to provide a complete pathway “from curiosity-driven research to real-world impact,” empowering global talent to translate discoveries into solutions for shared human challenges.

Extending this vision of systemic strength to the critical field of sustainability, Muhammad Salman Nasir, a 37-year-old Pakistani scholar and associate professor at Tianjin University, said China is already “playing a pivotal role in advancing global carbon neutrality.”

Nasir highlighted China’s key strength: its ability to “integrate national policy with academic and industrial innovation, enabling rapid scaling of technologies like green hydrogen, solar fuels, and carbon capture.” He described China’s research system, marked by strategic funding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and effective pilot-to-industry pathways, as a valuable model for other nations.

Regarding the 15th Five-Year Plan, Nasir expressed confidence that proposals for building a new energy system and developing a circular economy will further reinforce these strengths, enabling China to continue leading global efforts in sustainable technological innovations and offering a replicable blueprint for the world’s green transition.

The perspectives of the three experts illustrate a comprehensive expectation that the Two Sessions will not only refine the mechanisms of scientific collaboration and green development but also continue to foster the unique harmony that makes China’s path to modernization so distinct.

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SOURCE Science and Technology Daily