In the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, scientific and technological innovation, as the core driving force of urban economic growth, has been placed at the core of the overall situation of urban development. Cities are the main front of national innovation activities. Improving urban innovation ability is an important way to improve the national innovation system, implement the innovation driven development strategy and build an innovative country.
On January 18, 2022, “2022 Shouke New Year Forum – urban scientific and technological innovation under the new development pattern” was successfully held in the form of online conference. The forum was hosted by the Capital Institute of science and technology development strategy and co organized by the Research Center for cities and competitiveness of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Institute of innovation and development of Beijing Normal University.
Professor Guan Chenghua, President of Capital Institute of science and technology development strategy, issued the new development report of science and technology in Chinese cities (2021). The report constructs the “index system of China’s urban scientific and technological innovation development”, evaluates the scientific and technological innovation level of 288 prefecture level and above cities in China, comprehensively reveals the current situation of China’s urban scientific and technological innovation development, analyzes the main factors affecting the development of urban scientific and technological innovation, and summarizes the experience and shortcomings in the process of China’s cities moving towards innovation driven development, Put forward solutions and policy suggestions for important problems, so as to provide decision-making reference for the central and local governments at all levels. Since its first release in 2017, China urban scientific and technological innovation and development report has had a great social impact and attracted extensive attention.
According to the new development report of China’s urban science and Technology (2021), the top 20 cities in China’s urban science and technology innovation and development index in 2021 are Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Suzhou, Xi’an, Zhuhai, Chengdu, Hefei, Tianjin, Xiamen, Ningbo, Wuxi, Qingdao Zhengzhou, Changzhou and Changsha.
From the perspective of provincial regions, among the top 20 cities, except Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, Jiangsu Province has the most cities, including Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou; There are three in Guangdong Province, namely Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Zhuhai; There are two in Zhejiang Province, namely Hangzhou and Ningbo; Hubei Province, Shaanxi Province, Sichuan Province, Anhui Province, Fujian Province, Shandong Province, Henan Province and Hunan Province have one city in the top 20 respectively.
Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Chengdu and Hefei rank among the top 10 cities in the provincial capital and cities at or above the sub provincial level.
The top 10 cities in the science and technology innovation development index of prefecture level cities are Suzhou, Zhuhai, Wuxi, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Wuhu and Huzhou.
The report puts forward six trends and characteristics of China’s urban scientific and technological innovation: (1) the innovation index shows a “left skew” distribution, and the overall level of China’s urban scientific and technological development has great room for improvement; （2） The ranking of urban scientific and technological innovation fluctuated significantly year-on-year, the fluctuation range of innovation environment was the most significant, and the ranking of innovation performance was relatively stable; （3） The ranking of leading cities in scientific and technological innovation is divided, and “four types” are generally formed; （4） The gap in the level of scientific and technological innovation between cities of different sizes is narrowing, the power of scientific and technological innovation in mega cities is full, and the growth of scientific and technological innovation level in medium-sized cities is weak; （5） Cities have different scientific and technological innovation capabilities, and the comprehensive innovation level is low. Cities also have bright spots; （6） The Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta have significant advantages in urban scientific and technological innovation and development, and the overall agglomeration effect is obvious.
City City city one belt, one road area and sub provincial level and above cities are analyzed emphatically from the perspective of national strategy. The key points of the leading role of the national central cities are continuously enhanced, the new development of high quality development is achieved, and the “one belt and one road” node city steadily promotes scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges, opening up and innovating and expanding new space. The leading and radiating characteristics of cities at or above the sub provincial level are prominent, and independent innovation and collaborative cooperation go hand in hand.
At the same time, the report observed the interactive effects of urban scientific and technological innovation in different regions and put forward three views: first, at the provincial level, the resources and environmental endowments are different, and the innovation development is insufficient and unbalanced; Second, at the level of urban agglomeration, the scientific and technological innovation and development of Beijing Tianjin Hebei Urban Agglomeration is in a leading position; Third, at the regional level, the pattern of strong in the South and weak in the north is clear, and the “c-position” of the central city is dominant.
At the forum, experts from the development research center of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Academy of science and technology development strategy, the Beijing Tianjin Hebei national technological innovation center, Shandong University, Zhejiang University, the national unity magazine, the enterprise search data research institute and other institutions conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on “urban scientific and technological innovation under the new development pattern”.
The Capital Institute of science and technology development strategy signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the magazine of national unity to jointly establish the “research base for innovation driven green development in ethnic areas”, which aims to implement the national innovation driven development strategy, help the practice of scientific and technological innovation and green development in ethnic areas, promote common prosperity and comprehensively shape the new advantages of development in ethnic areas.
The Capital Institute of science and technology development strategy has also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with qichacha Technology Co., Ltd., which is committed to efficiently integrating advantageous resources, innovating the “industry university research” and jointly promoting high-quality development mechanism, focusing on scientific and technological innovation and green development.
