On November 6, 2022, China held a World Laureates Forum in Shanghai. Chen Jining, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, Wan Gang, Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, Shen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the China Central Radio and Television Station, and Roger Kornberg, Chairman of the World Top Scientists Association and winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.
China’s state media Global Times published a commentary discussing the objectives of the forum. Below are the main points from the commentary:
“At the opening ceremony of the Fifth World’s Top Scientists Forum (World Laureates Forum) held in Shanghai, the first World Top Scientists Association Award (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Top Scientists Award’) was awarded. The World’s Top Scientists Association initiated the award and hosted the event along with the Shanghai World’s Top Scientists Development Foundation. The ‘Top Scientists Award is a science award for global scientists. It was officially announced at the 4th World’s Top Scientists Forum on November 1, 2021. The Top Scientist Award is awarded once a year. At present, two individual awards have been established, the ‘Intelligent Science or Mathematics Award’ and the ‘Life Science or Medicine Award.’ Ten million Chinese Yuan (~US$1.5 million) is given to each award winner. The same award can be given to and shared by up to 4 people. This award is also the highest bonus science and technology award established by China to date.”
“The establishment of the Top Scientist Award has a certain significance for the development of science and technology in China.”
“First of all, among the fiercely competitive world science and technology awards, large-scale investment in the establishment of international science and technology awards shows the determination and confidence of Chinese entrepreneurs and the scientific and technological circles to dare to participate in the competition for the world’s top science and technology awards.”
“Second, the international science and technology awards issued locally will help to increase the public attention given to science and technology, broaden the horizons of the scientific and technological circles and the public, and deepen the understanding of international scientific and technological progress and of global scientists.”
“Third, the Top Science and Technology Association Award is an international award led by non-governmental organizations and recommended by top scientists. It highlights its non-governmental, academic, and international nature, and is conducive to showing China’s more open international image in the field of science and technology and to promoting global academic exchanges and cooperation with scientific research to build a more open scientific community.”
Source:
1. Website for China Association for Science and Technology https://www.cast.org.cn/art/
Global Times: Let the World’s Top Scientists Be Proud that They received Award from China
2. Global Times, November 14, 2022