WiiTs
WiiTs in 2021
On April 16, 2021, during the 8th China (Shanghai) International Technology Import and Export Fair (CSITF), UNIDO Day 2021, jointly organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), was held online and offline simultaneously at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center. The theme of UNIDO Day 2021 was “Industrial Technology Innovation and International Cooperation (WiiTs) | Starting the Engine of Post-Epidemic Economic Recovery".
Director General Li Yong pointed out in his opening speech that UNIDO has supported the holding of UNIDO Day for seven consecutive years during the fair. The theme of this year's fair, "Innovation Drives Development, Protects Intellectual Property Rights, and Promotes Trade in Technology," also fits with the core of UNIDO's work. 2021 UNIDO Day, with its theme of "Industrial Technological Innovation and International Cooperation (WiiTs) | Unleashing the Engine of Post-epidemic Recovery," explored, in-depth, the importance of industrial technology innovation and international cooperation to revitalize the post-epidemic economy, as well as the role of UNIDO in the development of the economy. The theme also explores the technology cooperation platforms related to the WiiTs initiative launched by UNIDO's Investment and Technology Promotion Office (China-Shanghai), discussing how to bridge the digital divide and fulfill carbon neutral commitments through a round-table dialogue and promote international technology transfer and cross-border industrial cooperation. Director General Li Yong also pointed out that the global outbreak of the Neocollins epidemic has had a significant impact on the world as a whole and will continue to reshape the world landscape: while the Neocollins epidemic has increased many of the risks, this mega-change in the world landscape also creates an opportunity to "rebuild for the better", in particular by shaping an inclusive and sustainable economy through a green recovery.
In her keynote speech, Ms. Tonilyn P. Lim, Representative of UNIDO in China, pointed out the important role of UNIDO in promoting advanced digital production. She elaborated on the constraints of new technologies, the complexity of integrating and applying new technologies with existing industrial systems, and harmonizing the business environment with digital transformation. She also said that UNIDO would support countries in their post-epidemic industrial recovery and development through three main areas:
1. Innovation and digitalization to further promote the transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular, and to strengthen innovation ecosystems.
2. Investment and technology promotion to further promote cooperation in technology integration to help countries.
3. Development of high-quality infrastructure, emphasizing the ability and resilience of the business sector to recover.
Ms. Tonilyn P. Lim highly endorsed the UNIDO ITPO Shanghai Office's efforts to promote the globalization of sustainable technologies through the WiiTs initiative, which, like other UNIDO initiatives, conferences and events, plays a very important role in the areas of technology, innovation and investment.
At the awarding ceremony of the first batch of WiiTs technologies, Ms. Zhao Xiaolei, Director of UNIDO Shanghai Investment Promotion Center (SIPC), introduced the launching of the WiiTs initiative and the platform for the globalization of the technologies, and read out the list of the first batch of registered and certified WiiTs technologies.
The first batch of technologies to be certified for WiiTs registration covers two industrial sectors, namely advanced digital technologies and green growth technologies. Seventeen heads of enterprises came to the UNIDO Day site to receive the WiiTs registration and certification awards.
Mr. Gong Weixi, Coordinator of the Secretariat of the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Network (ITPN) and Director of the Investment and Technology Promotion Division, congratulated the roadshow and matchmaking activities of the WiiTs projects through online and expressed his gratitude to Shanghai Jinqiao Group for its strong support! In his opening speech, he pointed out that UNIDO's Investment and Technology Promotion Networks (ITPNs) contributed to the reduction of development imbalances by promoting investment and technology cooperation between developed and developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Networks (ITP Networks) around the world provide advisory services and capacity building in investment promotion, technical cooperation, and industrial investment for government agencies and the private sector, contributing to sustainable industrial development in developing countries and economies in transition.
Mr. Yuko Yasunaga, Director of the Tokyo Office of UNIDO ITPO, introduced and debuted the Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform (STePP) in Japan to China online, fully presenting the technology showcases and market demand by focusing on four technology areas: energy, environment, agriculture and human health, and expressed his hope that in the future, through the organic cooperation between STePP and WiiTs, we can bridge the gap between global application of sustainable technologies and the development of the industry. He also expressed his hope that through the organic cooperation between STePP and WiiTs in the future, the globalization and application of sustainable technologies would be facilitated.
