Denis Simon Speaks at 2023 Zhongguancun Forum
Denis Simon, President of the Alliance of Global Talent Organizations, Professor of Global Business and Technology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, delivered a speech at the 2023 Zhongguancun Forum. The forum, themed “Open Cooperation for a Shared Future,” commenced on Thursday, May 25, and will feature over 150 events across various categories, including conferences, exhibitions, technology trading, research achievement releases, competitions, and supporting activities. During the Opening Ceremony, Mr. Denis Simon shared the following perspectives:
My name is Denis Simon and I am here in my capacity as President of the Alliance of Global Talent Organizations as well as Professor of Global Business and Technology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Alliance is an international NGO that is focused on enhancing the communication, coordination and cooperation among those organizations involved in talent acquisition, cultivation, and utilization.
On behalf of the AGTO, I want to offer our congratulations to the organizers of the 2023 Zhongguancun Forum. This year’s Forum promises to be a very special event with many high caliber speakers and experts from across China and the rest of the world.
As you all know, China has been embarked on its journey to transition from serving as “factory to the world” to becoming a knowledge economy driven by innovation. A few years ago, a number of Western observers raised questions about China’s innovation potential, but the concrete progress over the past few years has served to quiet the critics. At present, China is embarked on an innovation trajectory that promises to position the country as among the world’s innovation leaders in everything from electric vehicles and battery technology to space, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. R&D spending in 2022 reached 2.55% of GDP, placing China #2 in the world. Recent studies of Chinese innovation performance in the U.S. by ITIF and in Australia have verified the breadth and depth of Chinese progress as China has moved from #14 to #11 in the Global Innovation Index.
China’s emphasis on innovation is underpinned by its recognition of the strategic role of high-end talent. Members of China’s scientific and engineering community have been given greater degrees of autonomy in terms of being able to pursue their creative instincts. Technological entrepreneurship is an important engine supporting China’s long-term growth. Dramatic improvements also have occurred in the quality of Chinese universities, especially in terms of the research environment and infrastructure. As President Xi Jinping has noted, without adequate talent, there can be no sustainable innovation.
The Alliance for Global Talent Organizations strongly supports China’s efforts in this regard. We serve as a dynamic platform for the more effective and efficient deployment of high-end talent across the world. And, we will continue to work with relevant organizations in China, in particular, at the national and local levels, to ensure that the latest information and data about global talent trends is readily available to those hoping to better understand the evolving dynamics of global competition.
In closing, let me once again congratulate the organizers of the Forum for their vision and insight in organizing such an excellent program. I wish everyone a productive experience as you attend the various sessions over the next few days.
