The Business & Innovation Centre for China-Europe Co-operation is a major hi-tech powerhouse in Chengdu, utilising resources from developed countries in Europe. CREDIT: CHINA DAILY
Eleven major projects were launched in the Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone last month, bringing in a total of 8.25 billion yuan (£921 million) in fresh investment.
These projects, covering fields such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, precision healthcare and new-energy vehicles, were introduced to boost the development of the city’s new economy.
A major city in western China, Chengdu has played a key role as a hub in the country’s opening-up and the Belt and Road Initiative. Drawing on its geographical advantages, it has been blazing trails for more international communications and collaboration.
Consequently, a large number of industrial leaders and institutions had settled their projects in the city by the beginning of 2018, showcasing Chengdu’s appeal for investors and potential for development.
On Jan 9 the launch of the China-UK Institute of Innovative Quality Engineering and Smart Technology was announced at the Business & Innovation Centre for China-Europe Co-operation, a major industrial park in Chengdu, to support the city’s strategy to build itself into a world-class place for scientific research.
The institute was founded through the collaboration of Brunel University London and the National Physics Laboratory in Britain, as well as the Chinese company Sichuan Mingxin Energy Group.
“The institute will support Industry 4.0-based quality engineering, provide comprehensive solutions in the field of intelligent systems and serve corporate innovation, aiming to improve the quality of products, processes and services,” said Liu Jing’an, the Chinese-nationality president of the institute.
Industry 4.0 is a term for the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes cyberphysical systems, the internet of things, cloud computing and cognitive computing.
The institute will focus on research into sensing technology and artificial intelligence systems and put the research results into practical applications. The institute will help Chengdu set up an innovation centre in London for exchanges in the areas of personnel, technology, products, financing and marketing.
In addition, the institute will help as Chengdu works with global research institutions to try to set up a scientist alliance to work on the study of patent and intellectual property development.
The institute has forged links with Britain’s leading universities and institutions. These include the Alan Turing Institute, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the British Standards Institution, the Institute of Engineering and Technology as well as the Welding Institute, Mr Liu said.
The Business & Innovation Centre for China-Europe Co-operation was set up in the Chengdu hi-tech zone last May. Since it was established it has attracted institutions and companies from European countries such as Britain, France, Germany and Italy.
Last month Chengdu hi-tech zone announced it is working with China Unicom Group, the French communications service provider Sigfox and the French elderly healthcare services provider SeniorAdom for a smart elderly care project in the zone.
The three parties decided to develop the Sino-French Chengdu International Smart Elderly Care Demonstration Community, involving 300 million euros (£266 million) in investment.
The project was signed during French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to China and Chengdu hi-tech zone became the first Chinese business partner of Sigfox and SeniorAdom.
Chengdu is speeding up efforts to achieve a new norm of sustainable development and pave the way for it to become a livable city and a hub opening up to the world.
Early last year Global Foundries, the world’s second-biggest wafer producer, launched its 12-in wafer fabrication base in Chengdu with an investment of more than £7 billion.
In October the US company Medtronic, one of the world’s top medical services and technology corporations by size, announced it would set up a medical innovation centre in Chengdu, the third project of the company with the city. The car maker Volvo is now building a plant in Chengdu for the production of its new energy vehicles.
Chengdu is home to the operations of global companies such as IBM, SAP, NEC, GE, Huawei, Siemens, DHL and Tencent. The city is said to have 24,396 hi-tech companies, 965 research and development institutions and 31 unicorns — start-up companies with market value of more than $1 billion (£706 million) — in various industries.
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