On 13 Oct, 2016, a forum on the Sci-Tech and Finance Work of State High-tech Zones was held in Shenzhen by the Torch Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology and SZSE. During the forum titled Sci-Tech combined with Finance Promotes Innovation and Encourages Start-ups, discussions were conducted on how science and technology and finance might facilitate innovation and encourage entrepreneurship, and on the sci-tech and finance work carried out in the national high-tech zones, and the Strategic Cooperation Contract on Joint Promotion of Roadmap Plan 2.0 was signed by the Torch center, SZSE, and 10 high-tech zones including Zhongguancun, Xi’an and Chengdu technology parks. Liu Zhimin, deputy director of the Division of Resources Distribution and Management, Ministry of Science and Technology, Zhang Hu, executive vice mayor of Shenzhen, some others from the management level, and over 230 representatives from more than 120 high-tech zones of the country attended the forum.
It has been 25 years since the first batch of high-tech zones were approved by the State Council in 1991, said Zhang Zhihong, director of the Torch Center. During these years, the high-tech zones succeeded in finding a path for industrialization, have made some speedy and sound development, and contributed to the effective growth of the national economy. In the innovation and entrepreneurship boom, the high-tech zones become the most active area with innovations and start-ups of the highest quality. The key to transition of the development pattern of the high-tech zones lies in the innovation of system and mechanism initiated by financial innovation.
Wang Jianjun, general manager of SZSE, introduced in his speech the work carried out by SZSE in assisting the multilayer capital market in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. He pointed out that SZSE deems it its duty to support the development of technological enterprises and SMEs. A multilayer capital market has been established on the basis of main board, SMEs board and ChiNext Board listed Companies, serving as a gathering place for innovative companies. SZSE shall make it its mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, focus on the reform of ChiNext Board, work out a competitive system for capital formation, effectively assist the social capital in its conversion into the capital for innovation, and play a better role in promoting innovation in an all around way. SZSE shall uphold and adhere to Roadmap of the Development of Technological Enterprises Plan 2.0, optimize its services chain for innovation and entrepreneurship, and assist in the national economic restructuring and transition.
Cai Wenqin, deputy secretary of the People’s Government of Shenzhen, made a speech on behalf of the municipal government. He indicated that the government attaches great importance to the full combination of sci-tech and finance, has made great efforts to develop technological credit and technological insurance. The government aims at establishing a comprehensive services system for sci-tech and finance and a multilayer market system, has laid out a sound pattern for interaction among innovation, startups, venture capital investment and makers, and shall promote the speedy and sound development of sci-tech and finance. The forum is part of the series of activities in the main stadium Shenzhen in the week of “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”. It’s a further step to implement the national strategy to encourage innovation, promote the economic development of state high-tech zones and to breed new energy.
Those who gave speeches on the forum are specialists and professionals from the national ministries, higher education and financial institutions including Zhao Changwen, director of the Division of Industrial Economic Research, Research Center of the Sate Council, associate dean of the Law School of Renmin University of China, Lei Caihua, general manager of the Department of Small Business Finance of China Merchants Bank. Their speeches were on the full combination of sci-tech and finance, and promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship by means of the bond market and etc.
Representatives from Zhongguancun Technology Park, high-tech zones of Shenzhen, Suzhou, Changsha, Chengdu and Xi’an and other national high-tech zones also aired their views. They deeply discussed and exchanges opinions on sci-tech and finance innovation, and the increase of technological innovation and financial supplies in the national high-tech zones.
A review was made on the two-year history of the Roadmap of the Development of Technological Enterprises Plan 2.0 since its implementation, and a ceremony was held for the signing of the Strategic Cooperation Contract on Joint Promotion of Roadmap Plan 2.0. According to the contract, the contracting parties shall jointly promote the construction of a national, pro bono and open information platform for investment and financing with what has been done, and to provide better services for the development of technological SMEs.
