"Openness, Innovation, Future—"Cutting Edge Technology and Cross-Border Investment Opportunities" was successfully held at the Shanghai Hongqiao

On November 6, 2025, as one of the supporting activities for the 2025 Shanghai Conference of the 8th China International Import Expo, the "Openness, Innovation, Future—"Cutting Edge Technology and Cross-Border Investment Opportunities" forum was successfully held at the Shanghai Hongqiao. The forum was jointly organized by the UNIDO Division of Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPOs) and Institutional Partnerships, and the China International Association for Promotion of Science and Technology (CIAPST), and hosted by the UNIDO ITPO Shanghai.

Centered around the theme of the 2025 Shanghai Event and  Conference of the China International Import Expo, "Breaking Through and Coexisting, Resilient Growth," the forum focused on two key pillars—frontier technology and cross-border investment. It organized high-level dialogues and exchanges on critical areas such as the globalization of technology, ESG sustainable development, and the industrial application of artificial intelligence, discussing topics like "Cutting Edge Technology Breaking Through for Coexistence, Cross-Border Investment Fostering Resilient Growth." The forum brought together over a hundred participants from the United Nations system, national-level technology promotion institutions, leading Chinese and international enterprises, academic leaders, and global alliances of small and medium-sized enterprises. Opening remarks were delivered by Shu Luomei, Director of UNIDO Division of ITPOs and Institutional Partnerships; Duan Miji, President of China International Association for Promotion of Science and Technology; Li Shuyin, Deputy Director-General of CICETE; and Barbara Trenzi, President of the World Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (WUSME) and President of the San Marino-China Friendship Association.

In her opening address, Shu Luomei, Director of UNIDO Division of ITPOs and Institutional Partnerships, highly praised Shanghai's role as a hub of innovation and a platform for international cooperation. She noted that the collaboration between UNIDO and the Shanghai Municipal Government has become a model for promoting investment in sustainable development goals. She pointed out that global manufacturing enterprises contribute nearly 60% of green patents, highlighting the central role of industrial innovation in sustainable progress. She emphasized that UNIDO is leveraging its global Investment and Technology Promotion Network (ITPN) to drive green technology innovation and cross-border investment, helping to bridge technological gaps and achieve more equitable and sustainable global industrial development.

Duan Miji, President of CIAPST, reviewed the long-term efforts of CIAPST in promoting international industry-university-research collaboration and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. He stated that "industrializing technology and technologizing industry" has always been the core mission of CIAPST, which remains committed to using technological innovation as an engine to drive scientific widespreading and the efficient transformation of outcomes. In light of the new global technological competition landscape, he called for strengthened efforts in key technological areas such as artificial intelligence, 6G communications, high-end chips, advanced materials, and new energy, as well as the construction of international cooperation networks. He emphasized the need to deepen the synergy between technology and industry to support the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Li Shuyin, Deputy Director of the CICETE highlighted Shanghai's role as a forefront of reform and opening-up and a hub for the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta from the perspective of international cooperation practices. She stressed the continued promotion of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and the joint enhancement of the resilience of global industrial and supply chains. She noted that the forum accurately captured the pulse of the era, where technology drives industrial upgrading.

Barbara Trenzi, President of WUSME, Entrepreneur Chairman of the SAN Marino-China Friendship Association leveraging its special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, is committed to helping small and medium-sized enterprises integrate into the global innovation network. She pointed out that, faced with a complex international environment, SMEs need to seize cross-border investment opportunities in areas such as artificial intelligence and green energy. WUSME will collaborate with partners like UNIDO to foster a new pattern of sustainable development characterized by open innovation, technology sharing, and cross-border cooperation.

During the keynote speech session, several leaders shared their insights.

Duan Miji, President of CIAPST, proposed the strategic concept of "Building a New Foundation for Aerospace Information," advocating for the creation of an integrated space-air-ground intelligent network centered on stratospheric airship clusters. He called for the joint establishment of R&D alliances, the co-development of technical standards, and the collaborative exploration of application scenarios.

Sun Tang, Chief Scientist of Starblaze, showcased the globally leading AI SSD solutions and the self-developed STAR2000 series chips. Their computing-in-memory architecture significantly enhances AI energy efficiency, and the products are fully compatible with domestic platforms. Mass production was achieved in 2024, and the technology received the "Wu Wenjun Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology Award."

Tan Jun,  Founder and Chairman of HiStarlink, shared the results of the company's successful in-orbit verification of China's first commercial high-speed bidirectional satellite-ground transmission in February 2024. By maintaining a high self-development rate to control costs, the company has become the largest domestic private enterprise in terms of the scale of in-orbit laser communication terminals and is advancing the technology from verification to large-scale network deployment.

In the roundtable dialogue on "Sustainable Industry Global Cooperation ," moderated by Zhao Xiaolei,Head of UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, Luan Yucheng, Chairman of Shanghai Youna New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., introduced mesoporous materials with "negative cost" emission reduction characteristics, highlighting their significant energy-saving benefits in industrial thermal management. However, he acknowledged the challenges of market "disconnects" and varying policy standards in transitioning from verification to large-scale application. Zhang Jingwen, GM of Beijing Beike Yunhong Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., shared a disruptive technology that converts bulk industrial solid waste into low-carbon/negative-carbon cementitious materials. She emphasized its global promotion potential for the "Chinese solution" worldwide by participating in the development of international standards. Song Rui, Head of Arctech Solar, introduced the integrated model of photovoltaic building materials and its effectiveness in reducing the carbon emissions of buildings throughout their lifecycle. He noted that while Chinese photovoltaic technology leads globally, international recognition still needs improvement, and the company is addressing challenges in different markets through global blueprint and localized operations. Zou Jun, Professor at Shanghai Institute of Technology proposed that optical chips and integrated modules are core drivers of smart agriculture. He emphasized the need for context-specific technology implementation and called for international collaboration to advance technological integration and application innovation.

In her closing remarks, Zhao Xiaolei, Head of UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, expressed gratitude to the partners for their strong support. She stated that the UNIDO ITPO Shanghai  will continue to play its platform role, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-regional collaboration, facilitating technological cooperation and two-way investment, and transforming the forum's outcomes into measurable and tangible progress.

Through multi-dimensional and high-level exchanges, the forum demonstrated that China is not only a significant contributor to global green technology but also an active promoter of international cooperation models and inclusive growth. It injected strong momentum into the synergy between cutting-edge technology and cross-border investment to empower sustainable development.