A parallel forum of the Guangzhou International Innovation Festival took place at the Guangzhou Library in Tianhe district on Dec 18, focusing on collaborative innovations and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

Enterprises and industries must prioritize innovation-driven development and improve the transformation of sci-tech achievements, said Xu Heping, the former director of the research office of the Ministry of Science and Technology, at the parallel forum.

"It is urgent that we strengthen the deep integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation, enhance the industry's innovation capacity, optimize industrial structure, promote industrial upgrading, and advance intelligent and digital transformation," added Xu.

The parallel forum is held at the Guangzhou Library. [Photo by Mo Weinong/Guangzhou Daily]

According to Li Wei, deputy Party secretary of the China Academy of Industrial Internet, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the main body of sci-tech innovation, and some 70 percent of innovation achievements come from SMEs.

SMEs also account for around 90 percent of the total enterprises in China, Li said, adding that "it is imperative to promote new modes of industrialization through the digital transformation of SMEs".

Li also noted that a digital product resource pool should be built for SMEs, along with the cultivation of new digital chain transformation models, and the creation of a new integrated SME digital platform.

The Tianhe artificial intelligence industrial development initiative is launched during the forum, which will attract a number of sci-tech innovation enterprises in the field of AI to settle in Tianhe. [Photo by Mo Weinong/Guangzhou Daily]