On the occasion of the inauguration of TWAS 14th General Meeting, 9th General Conference & 20th Anniversary, as well as the 8th General Assembly of TWNSO, I have the great pleasure and honour, on behalf of the National Organizing Committee of the TWAS Conferences, which consists of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Association for Science and Technology, to convey our heartiest congratulations on the successful opening of this important event, and to express our warmest welcome to all the TWAS & TWNSO members, prominent scientists and distinguished guests.
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is China’s national research and development centre in natural sciences and high technologies. Currently, it has more than 600 members and 45,000 scientific and managerial professional staff. Since its inception in 1949, CAS has evolved into dynamic research organization, achieving important results in many areas, especially in fundamental scientific research and strategic high-tech development. In 1998, the Chinese government made the important strategic decision of establishing a national innovation system. CAS took the lead in launching the Pilot Project of the Knowledge Innovation Programme, and defined new guiding principles for the operation of the Academy in the 21st century:
“To address the strategic needs of the nation while embracing the world frontiers of science, we must enhance original innovation in natural sciences and key technologies, scale new heights in the global context, and devote ourselves to making innovative contributions to economic growth, national security and sustainable social development of China in fundamental, strategic and farsighted areas.” Under this Knowledge Innovation Programme, science and technology will foster new developments and breakthroughs in China.
CAS is also preparing a Mid-to-Long Term Development Programme for Science and Technology for the years between 2006-2020. This effort is designed to serve as a blueprint for science-based social and economic sustainable development in China. CAS aims to build itself into a national think-tank, knowledge bank and talent pool by consolidating its role as the national focal point for conducting innovative scientific research, training high-quality staff and accelerating the development of high-tech industries in China.
The convening of the TWAS and TWNSO conferences in China has generated great excitement among Chinese scientists involved in the implementation of the Knowledge Innovation Programme, the construction of the National Innovation System and the drafting of the National Mid-to-Long Term Development Programme for Science and Technology. Indeed these meetings are a great inspiration to the entire Chinese science community.
As a member of the Third World, China has maintained close ties with TWAS since its inception. Currently, we have 89 TWAS Fellows from different research institutes and universities across the country. Sixteen Chinese scientists and two research institutes have been awarded TWAS Prizes in Basic and Applied Sciences. The Chinese government launched the South-South Cooperation Fund within the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1987 that has since enabled more than 600 scientists from developing countries to travel to China to conduct collaborative research with our scientists. In addition, the fund has enabled more than 5000 Third World scientists to attend symposia, workshops, seminars or training courses held in China. In a message written in March 2001, former Chinese President Jiang Zemin praised TWAS for helping to advance the development of science in Third World countries. The presence and address of His Excellency President Hu Jintao at the inauguration today is a demonstration of the great concern and continued support of the Chinese government to the development of science and technology in all Third World countries.
In the past 20 years, TWAS has played an extremely important role in promoting South-South and South-North cooperation. Today, in the context of an increasingly globalized yet polarized world, and in this era of knowledge-based economies, TWAS faces higher expectations and added responsibilities for shouldering a new and greater historic mission. I would like to take this opportunity to advance the following proposals on the future development of TWAS:
1. TWAS should take an active part in the formation of rules regarding scientific globalization, devise more reasonable pathways for cooperation in the creation, development and sharing of knowledge and technology between the North and the South, and seek to transform unbridled international economic competition into cooperative efforts that are necessary for the sustained development of humankind. Developing countries should be able to have access to the latest scientific knowledge and technology to help spur development through practices that conform to the existing economic conditions of the countries. In cooperation with the science communities of developed countries, TWAS should seek to mitigate any harmful impacts related to advancements in science and technology from taking place in developing countries. At the same time, the Academy should promote access to scientific and technological information throughout the developing world as an indispensable right that helps advance economic growth and national security. TWAS should be a strong voice in favour of giving developing countries the freedom to choose their own policies and programmes for developing their own science and technology within their borders.
2. TWAS should play a role in the establishment of an effective mechanism for promoting scientific exchanges, cooperation and shared development among developing countries. On the whole, the scientific capacity of these countries is weak. They often have inadequate investment in research and development, poor scientific infrastructure, serious brain drain problems, underdeveloped intellectual property rights protection, and inefficient strategies to reap the benefits of research outcomes through commercialization.
3. TWAS should take the initiative to investigate the prevailing opportunities and challenges faced by developing countries and regions due to the newest scientific and technological innovations, and to help identify ways of meeting these opportunities and challenges. As we know, a new technological revolution represented by information technology and biotechnology is unfolding with impacts upon the global economy and the development of human society that are yet fully understood. Driven by new scientific advances, a full range of high-tech industries will spring up in the areas of information and communication technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, advanced materials and manufacturing, new energy resources, the environment, space and marine technology, and so on. This new technological revolution will lead to the sustained growth of the global economy. It is of critical importance for developing countries and regions to take advantage of this opportunity to increase their competitiveness and reduce the gap between them and the developed countries.
4. TWAS should spare no efforts to advocate and popularize the concept of cultural diversity. It is a rule that breakthroughs in science tend to occur in a free atmosphere where multiple cultures interact. The integration of different ways of scientific thinking under various cultural traditions will create new opportunities for scientific innovation and invention; therefore, cultural diversity is essential to the development of science and technology. We need to realize that science and technology has always originated from various sources, and developed in different ways. We are responsible for encouraging exchanges of information and personnel and, by doing so, for promoting the blending of various cultures. These efforts, in turn, will create better cross-cultural understanding and an improved atmosphere for the development of science and technology.
5. TWAS should organize an in-depth study on the conditions of, causes for and solutions to the poverty in scientific knowledge found among developing countries and regions. Knowledge poverty is an important factor that restricts the economic growth rate of developing countries and regions. The key to accelerating the development of these countries is to launch war against knowledge poverty, invest in human capital and knowledge infrastructure, and upgrade their ability to absorb, apply and innovate knowledge.
6. TWAS should take the lead in discussing and planning methods for scientific cooperation and exchanges between the South and the North in the 21st century, to foster a 'double-win’ or 'multi-win’ cooperation mechanism featuring smooth channels, diverse modes, steady funding resources and reasonable mobility of personnel. Such a programme should comply with the conditions and interests of developing countries while conforming to international practices.
It has been 16 years since the Second General Conference of TWAS was held in Beijing in 1987. We feel it is a great honour to host the 14th General Meeting of TWAS as well as the 8th General Assembly of TWNSO. In particular, this year - the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the TWAS - is very special. Please allow me, therefore, to pay my highest respect to the founder of TWAS, Professor Abdus Salam, as well as to all the scientists, governments and friends who have made contributions to the foundation and development of the Academy. I wish all of you an enjoyable stay in Beijing and an interesting and fruitful Conference.
Thank you.
(16 October 2003)
