The International Forum on Sciences for Sustainable Development, a parallel session of the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, was held in Beijing on March 27.

In his speech, Wang Keqiang, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), pointed out that CAS has continuously enhanced its scientific and technological innovation to serve the country and benefit the people. At the same time, it integrates the sustainable development goals into the layout of sci-tech innovation, and actively implements the United Nations’ resolutions on sustainable development.

Faced with a series of major challenges and complex issues in global sustainable development, it is necessary to strengthen the openness and sharing of scientific data, build inclusive scientific infrastructure, and support sustainable growth in a scientific manner, he noted.

Wang called for efforts to strengthen cooperation in digital science, break through technological barriers, explore data value, and provide more scientific and effective decision-making support for sustainable development. He also stressed the innovation of collaborative governance of science and technology, and the role of sci-tech application, especially digital technology, in promoting sustainable growth.

Qu Xing, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, sent a video message to the forum. Han Yu, Deputy Director and Secretary-General of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, made opening remarks and representatives from UNESCO and other international organizations, along with renowned domestic and international scientists, delivered keynote speeches and reports at the event.

Global experts examined digital technology’s role in achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The “Beijing Initiative on Digital Science and Technology for Sustainable Development” was unveiled at the forum. As the core outcome of the event, the plan provides significant support for building consensus and promoting cooperation in the digital technology field.

The “Beijing Initiative on Digital Science and Technology for Sustainable Development” is unveiled at the forum in Beijing on March 27.

Sponsored by CAS and NSFC, the forum was hosted by CAS’s Bureau of International Cooperation, the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, and the UNESCO International Center on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage, with the support of the Beijing municipal government.

The forum, themed “Digital Technology Driving Sustainable Development”, is part of UNESCO’s International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-33). It invited about 200 representatives, including leaders from the NSFC and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, representatives from international organizations such as UNESCO, and domestic and international experts and scholars, to jointly explore topics on the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development empowered by digital technology.

Source: Bureau of International Cooperation,

Chinese Academy of Sciences