On March 30, at the 2025 ZGC Forum Annual Conference—Beijing International Youth Innovation and Development Forum, Beijing Overseas Talents Center, in collaboration with Beijing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, Beijing Association for Science and Technology, Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, Beijing Foreign Enterprise Human Resources Service Co Ltd and Beijing Haidian District Committee of the Communist Party of China and its People's Government, jointly unveiled the "Service Package for Foreign Experts and Overseas Talents in International Organizations Based in Beijing".

The package introduces 14 innovative measures focusing on four key areas: exit-entry facilitation, international exchanges, talent attraction, and integration services. These initiatives provide comprehensive support for international talents throughout their journey—from initial arrival to long-term settlement in Beijing—embodying the spirit of "Beijing Welcomes You" while facilitating the development of international organizations in the capital.

Under the new "Service Package", foreign experts invited to Beijing by international organizations will benefit from facilitated customs clearance and streamlined exit-entry policies. International science and technology organizations conducting exchange activities in Beijing will receive multi-dimensional support.

The package also provides comprehensive career services, supporting Beijing-based experts and scholars in assuming positions in international science and technology organizations, recommending outstanding university students for internships and supporting applications for government-sponsored overseas study programs.

In terms of talent attraction, returnees employed by international organizations can apply for Work-Residence Permit for Overseas Returnees and talent attraction programs. Foreign talents will also enjoy a range of integrated services, including cultural exchange initiatives, medical subsidies, health management, training programs, employment and entrepreneurship support and daily life facilitation services.

Established in 2021, the YID Forum has successfully hosted three annual editions and has emerged as a vital platform for international youth talent exchanges and policy announcements in Beijing. The forum aims to gather youth innovators, stimulate their innovation vitality, build consensus for promoting global innovation resource sharing and support the global development of international young talents.

To accelerate the construction of the Beijing International Science and Technology Innovation Center and a high-level talent hub, implement the Guidelines on Further Improving Services for Returned Overseas Talents, and support returned overseas talents in innovation and entrepreneurship to contribute to the capital's high-quality development and self-reliance in science and technology, the following measures are formulated.

1.Strengthening Development Platforms for Returnees. Pilot the establishment of "Internship and Training Bases for Overseas Talents," creating platforms for innovation and entrepreneurship matchmaking, providing internship opportunities, and ensuring support in residency permits, work permits, and training subsidies. Support the development of high-quality overseas talent startup incubators with dedicated funding and work permit quotas.

2.Enhancing Training and Support for Returnees. Increase funding support for high-level overseas returnees and startup initiatives, with a focus on emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, and integrated circuits. Organize advanced training programs like the "Senior Entrepreneurship Training Program for Returned Overseas Talents" and "Growth Camp for Returned Talents," improving curriculum design, mentorship, and skills training.

3.Expanding Talent Recruitment Efforts. Prioritize residency permits for full-time returned overseas talents in Beijing who hold master's degrees or higher in STEM or medical fields from top-ranked global universities, have studied abroad for at least one year, and returned within the past three years. For key industries, university ranking requirements may be relaxed. Those with domestic PhDs who conducted postdoctoral research or academic visits abroad in STEM/medical fields for over a year and returned within three years are also eligible. Spouses and minor children may apply for concurrent residency.

4.Supporting Employment of Returnees. Integrate returnees into Beijing's employment promotion system, granting access to recruitment subsidies, skills training, internships, and entrepreneurship incentives. Establish a dedicated job-matching platform under the "Contact Beijing ? Global Innovation Service Network," regularly posting job openings and hosting recruitment fairs. Expand events like "Overseas Talent Beijing Tour" to facilitate career development.

5.Fostering Innovation Among Returnees. Select a group of high-level returnees annually for financial support. Encourage enterprises to recruit and cultivate overseas returnees through programs like the "Young Sci-Tech Leadership Training Initiative," offering combined funding and talent services.

6.Providing Entrepreneurship Support for Returnees. Annually select outstanding enterprises established by overseas returnees for financial grants. Encourage participation in events like the "HICOOL Global Entrepreneur Summit and Competition," with prize money and project development support for winners.

7.Strengthening Financing Services. Offer interest subsidies for qualified startups that obtain intellectual property (IP)-backed loans, covering a percentage of actual interest rates. Reimburse a portion of IP valuation, guarantee fees, and other financing costs. Support applications for startup guarantee loans, waiving collateral requirements for small loans.

8.Facilitating Career Development. Expand the Beijing International Professional Qualifications Recognition Directory to include more overseas certifications, aligning them with domestic professional titles and benefits.

9.Providing Innovation Spaces. Encourage postdoctoral research stations to recruit foreign returnees, recommending them for the "International Postdoctoral" program with funding support. Leverage startup hubs, incubators, and university tech parks to offer low-cost, high-quality workspaces with free desks and reduced management fees.

10.Improving Housing Support. Provide short-term free transitional housing for returnees in eligible districts. Offer rental/purchase subsidies, talent apartments or affordable housing to qualified individuals.

11.Streamlining Residency and Archival Services. Returnees without title seeded property in Beijing may register at district-level collective residency addresses. Personnel files can be stored at employers' or designated archives.

12.Optimizing Visa Convenience. Foreign returnees with valid visas may apply for multiple-entry permits for legitimate reasons.

13.Recognizing Outstanding Contributions. Include returnees in the "Capital Talent Awards," honoring those with significant contributions to Beijing's development.

On the afternoon of March 30th, at the Beijing International Youth Innovation and Development Forum (YID Forum) of the 2025 ZGC Forum, the 14th "Beijing Tour for Overseas Talents" organized by Beijing Overseas Talents Center officially commenced. The first event was held concurrently. 12 heads of overseas Chinese students' associations from countries such as Germany, France, Canada and Spain, and 12 outstanding overseas talents in related fields, were invited to visit Beijing for exchanges and cooperation.

The "Beijing Tour for Overseas Talents" is an international talent exchange and cooperation brand created by Beijing municipality, which serves as a crucial channel for overseas talents to connect with Beijing and develop in the city. Since its establishment in 2010, the event has been successfully held for 13 consecutive years, providing services to 76,000 overseas talents from countries and regions such as the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Singapore.

The "Beijing Tour for Overseas Talents" this year will transition from traditional centralized events to an online-offline hybrid model, establishing a year-round matchmaking platform for continuous engagement. The online services are provided through the "Contact Beijing ?Global Network for Innovation Services (GNIS)" website (www.gnis.org.cn), which has already listed more than 6,000 international job positions from a wide range of enterprises and institutions, including JD.com, Meituan, Xiaomi, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Bank of Beijing. Based on their professional interests, overseas talents have access to communicating with potential employers at any time. The offline activities will focus on key areas such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine, and intelligent manufacturing. Four exchange and matching activities will be jointly held by relevant organizations with regional cooperation. Overseas talents can participate in the offline activities through the process of "self-registration—recommendation by related organizations—selection—targeted invitation—matching on site".

Established in 2021, the YID Forum has successfully hosted three annual editions and has emerged as a vital platform for international youth talent exchanges and policy announcements in Beijing. The forum aims to gather youth innovators, stimulate their innovation vitality, build consensus for promoting global innovation resource sharing and support the global development of international youth talent.

On March 30, at the 2025 ZGC Forum Annual Conference-Beijing International Youth Innovation and Development Forum, Beijing Overseas Talents Center and Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) signed a cooperation agreement to enhance services for foreign talents and promote international talent exchanges. Leveraging ministerial and municipal resources, the two parties will engage in comprehensive collaboration in five aspects: policy research, communication activities, talent attraction, integrated services, publicity and reporting.

The two sides have reached a consensus to share resources and experience, and collaborate in several key areas: jointly researching international talent policies, supporting Beijing in pioneering institutional innovations for international talents, addressing key challenges faced by international talents working and living in Beijing; co-hosting diverse activities to help international talents better adapt to life and work in Beijing; collaborating on policy promotion, recruitment, and training initiatives to attract more foreign talents to work in Beijing; jointly developing The China International Service Platform, setting a "Beijing Channel" to showcase the city's international talent ecosystem and career opportunities; and leveraging international communication channels to innovatively interpret relative policies and narrate Beijing's story.

As a key driver for the development of new quality productive forces, new quality talent will contribute vigorous strength to advancing Chinese modernization, according to the 2025 Global Youth Science and Technology Innovation Development Report, unveiled at the Beijing International Youth Innovation and Development Forum, held in parallel with the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum.

The Beijing International Youth Innovation and Development Forum (YID Forum) is set to open at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing on March 30. This event, serving as a parallel session to the 2025 ZGC Forum, focuses on advancing the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, as well as facilitating the growth of international talents in Beijing. It provides a platform for global youth to showcase their abilities and pursue their dreams in the Chinese capital.

With "Innovation and Development" as its core theme, the ZGC Forum acts as a national hub for global scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation. Seeking to promote international collaboration among young talents and bolster Beijing's innovation resources, the Beijing Municipal Human Resources Bureau, China Daily, the Beijing Overseas Talents Center, and the Beijing Haidian District Committee of the Communist Party of China and its People's Government are making joint efforts to host the all-important YID Forum.

The event will see participants from key international organizations, government departments, Chinese and foreign scientists, and representatives from various innovation enterprises. They will share innovative ideas and development concepts, discuss cutting-edge technologies and future industries, and explore new opportunities for international cooperation, focusing on topics such as SDG17, "Youth Development through Technological Innovation", and "AI+-Empowered Development of New Quality Productive Forces".

During the forum, the Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the Beijing Overseas Talents Center will sign an agreement to enhance services and exchanges for international talents. The release of the "Global Youth Science and Technology Innovation Development Report 2025" and the launch of the 14th "Beijing Tour for Overseas Talents" will invite global youth talents to "Gather in Beijing, Create the Future".

Additionally, initiatives such as "Beijing Measures Supporting Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Returnees", "Service Package for Foreign Experts and Overseas Talents in International Organizations Based in Beijing", and "Beijing Offer: Towards a Shared Future" will be unveiled to encourage and support global youth talents in innovating and starting their businesses in Beijing.

Established in 2021, the YID Forum has successfully hosted three annual editions and has emerged as a vital platform for international youth talent exchanges and policy announcements in Beijing. The forum aims to gather youth innovators, stimulate their innovation vitality, build consensus for promoting global innovation resource sharing, and support the global development of international youth talent.

The upcoming 2025 Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing will focus on cutting-edge fields such as large-scale artificial intelligence models while continuing to highlight China's openness to international cooperation in science and technology, officials said on Thursday.

The forum, scheduled for March 27-31, will be themed "New Quality Productivity and Global Science and Technology Cooperation". It will feature five major sections, including forums and meetings, technology trading, the unveiling of achievements, competitions in cutting-edge fields and public engagement activities.

Lin Xin, vice-minister of science and technology, said at a news conference that 128 events involving more than 100 countries and regions are planned. Invitations have been extended to more than 1,000 guests, including top scientists, business leaders and government officials, to discuss global innovation and development.

The forum will continue to host professional discussions and major achievement releases in fields such as large AI models, embodied intelligence, quantum technology, biomedicine, 6G and brain-computer interfaces to explore trends in technology and industry, Lin said.

Additionally, this year's event will emphasize talent exchange by organizing special forums for young scientists, overseas returnees and women in technology to foster collaboration and innovation, she said.

"We sincerely hope that both foreign and domestic guests can gather in Beijing to share their views and enhance friendships during this science and technology feast," Lin said.

AI and humanoid robots will be a major highlight this year, drawing significant attention, officials said.

"We aim to make the Zhongguancun Forum's annual meeting a grand stage for the concentrated display of new technologies, products and scenarios," said Jin Wei, deputy mayor of Beijing.

Nearly 100 robots from 15 companies will perform tasks such as welcoming guests, engaging in conversations, hosting forums and performing throughout the event, Jin said.

"These robots not only boast lifelike appearances, but also possess a high level of intelligence, serving as intelligent assistants on-site to provide attendees with a fresh interactive experience," he said.

Other technologies will also be deployed throughout the forum. AI-powered simultaneous interpretation systems using voiceprint recognition and speech synthesis will allow speakers to deliver remarks in their native languages while audiences hear real-time translations in voices resembling the speakers. Electronic IDs, digital table signs and various smart services will be widely used, and unmanned shuttles will be available for guests.

During the forum, the final round of the international cutting-edge technology competition will be held. This year, the competition has drawn more than 3,200 projects from over 75 countries and regions, with overseas projects accounting for 40 percent of the total, the same as last year.

AI remains particularly popular, with 812 projects making up one-quarter of the total. High-level entrepreneurial ventures have also emerged in fields such as brain-computer interfaces, gene therapy and humanoid robots.

Founded in 2007 with "Innovation and Development" as its permanent theme, the Zhongguancun Forum serves as a national platform for China's global scientific and technological innovation exchanges and cooperation.

Nearly 100 robots will serve as intelligent assistants for guests at the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum, scheduled to take place next week, offering participants a cutting-edge conference experience, a senior official said on Thursday.

"We aim to make the ZGC Forum's annual meeting a grand stage for the concentrated display of new technologies, products, and scenarios," said Jin Wei, deputy mayor of the capital, at a news conference on Thursday morning.

This year's ZGC Forum will be held in Beijing from March 27 to 31, with the annual theme of "New Quality Productivity and Global Science and Technology Cooperation".

According to Jin, humanoid robots will attract a lot of attention and be a major highlight of this year's forum.

"Throughout the forum, 15 companies will deploy nearly 100 robots across various scenarios, handling tasks such as welcoming guests, engaging in conversations, hosting forums, and performing," he added. "These robots not only feature lifelike appearances but also demonstrate advanced intelligence, serving as 'intelligent assistants' to offer attendees a unique interactive experience."

The forum will incorporate other new artificial intelligence technologies.

For instance, with AI-powered simultaneous interpretation systems and advanced voiceprint recognition and fitting technologies, speakers can deliver speeches in their native languages. At the same time, real-time translations are provided in multiple languages. The audience will hear the interpreted speech through their earphones in a voice resembling that of the speaker.

Other technologies will be adopted in various scenarios. Electronic IDs, table signs, and smart services will be extensively used. The autonomous shuttle services will also be prepared for guests.

The 2025 ZGC Forum annual meeting will focus on cutting-edge topics such as embodied intelligence and quantum technology, with the establishment of 10 branded forums and 50 innovation forums, including the inaugural Open Science International Forum and the AI-themed days.

The event will also host the Future Artificial Intelligence Pioneer Forum and various activities to establish itself as a "beacon" for cutting-edge technologies.

Founded in 2007 with "Innovation and Development" as its permanent theme, the ZGC Forum is a national platform for China's global scientific and technological innovation exchanges and cooperation.

BEIJING -- The 2025 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) is scheduled to be held in Beijing from March 27 to 31, focusing on cutting-edge fields from large AI models to quantum technology, an official with the Ministry of Science and Technology said Thursday.

Lin Xin, vice-minister of science and technology, made the remarks at a press conference.

Themed "New Quality Productive Forces and Global Technology Cooperation," this year's annual conference of the forum comprises five major sections, including meetings and technology trading.

It will provide new ideas and insights for global innovative development in large AI models, embodied intelligence, quantum technology, biomedicine, 6G, brain-computer interfaces, and other frontier areas in 128 events, Lin said.

Founded in 2007, the 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.

BEIJING - China's digital industry operated steadily in 2024, with increases in both revenue and profits, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) showed on Monday.

The industry's business revenue reached 35 trillion yuan ($4.9 trillion) last year, a 5.5 percent year-on-year increase. Total profits grew 3.5 percent year-on-year to 2.7 trillion yuan, according to the MIIT.

Notably, the added value of major manufacturers of computers, communication devices and other electronic devices grew 11.8 percent, up 8.4 percentage points from the previous year.

Boosted by artificial intelligence (AI), cloud platforms and other emerging business activities, the country's software sector recorded 10 percent growth in business revenue, which reached 13.7 trillion yuan.

China has been committed to developing digital technology to transform and upgrade its traditional industries.

According to this year's government work report, the country will "accelerate the digitalization of manufacturing, foster a number of service providers with both industry expertise and digital know-how, and bolster support for the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises."

The country is also advancing an "AI Plus" initiative, which calls for collective efforts to effectively combine digital technologies with China's manufacturing and market strengths.

As a key cooperation platform for Beijing and Tianjin to jointly implement the national strategy for the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the first asset-heavy project of Zhongguancun outside Beijing, the Beijing-Tianjin Zhongguancun Tech Town has registered a total of 1,800 market players of various types, including enterprises of information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing and biomedicine.

In recent years, the Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science & Technology Park in Beijing's Haidian district has seen continuous development as home to companies innovating China's AI industry.

"The park focuses on the development of strategic emerging industries such as new-generation IT, bio-medicine, new energy, new materials and AI," said Gong Ruinan, the head of the operating team at the park.

Haidian district is home to the country's top artificial intelligence scientists and industry leaders, with 12,300 AI scholars, accounting for over 80 percent of the total in Beijing. It has three new R&D institutions, 14 key national laboratories and 21 universities offering undergraduate programs in the field.

The park now includes over 300 enterprises with more than 20,000 employees. Many innovative and technological enterprises have flourished and become leading players in their respective industries.

One such company is the homegrown DEEPGLINT, which has developed an AI system for the P.E. examination for senior high school entrance.

According to Zhao Yong, chairman of the company, the system significantly enhances the efficiency of examinations. With AI support, the daily test taker count can exceed 2,500, while the average test time per person has been cut by a third.

After the Beijing International Youth Innovation and Development Forum, three guest speakers from different countries shared their study, life and work experiences with the forum's host. Clementine Ebel, a student of Yenching Academy at Peking University, said she would never forget the first night when she arrived in Shanghai as she was left amazed by the development of China. She was also invited by an owner of a startup company in Xiong'an New Area to experience the latest development of the country.

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