Hubei science and technology platform helps Africa's development

-- Entering the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center

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  The China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center was unveiled at the Hubei Science and Technology Innovation Conference in February.

  Du Yun, deputy director of Hubei Provincial Department of Science and Technology, said that the Ministry of Science and Technology chose to build the only national international and regional innovation cooperation platform for Africa with Hubei Province, which is not only the scientific layout of the open innovation platform for developing countries along the Belt and Road, but also the full recognition of hubei provincial capacity for international science and technology cooperation. The center will actively promote technology transfer and cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship in key areas such as optoelectronic information, space technology, medical and health care, agriculture, resources and environment, and energy.

  "The bridge in Wuhan is beautiful. The span, width and height are amazing. I hope technology like this can help Chad." On April 26, Ahmat M. ISsa from Chad, whose Chinese name isZhang Xiaoqiang, and media reporters from Hubei Daily visited the Optics Valley park of Wuhan Botanical Garden, an important participant of China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center. From Tianhe Airport to Optics Valley, Zhang Xiaoqiang, project director of Zhongguancun "Belt and Road" Industry Promotion Association, admired the bridge in Wuhan all the way, especially after learning that The Bridge Bureau of China Railway has built more than 40 Bridges in more than 20 countries and regions such as South Africa, Tanzania and Morocco.

Hubei Scientific Researchers

Traveled to more than a dozen countries in Africa

  "From basic research to technology application, from education and training to cultural exchanges, the whole industrial chain of cooperation will provide sustainable support for Africa's economic and social development as well as China's scientific and technological development." Wang Qingfeng, deputy director of Wuhan Botanical Garden and director of China-Africa Joint Research Center, talked about the establishment of China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center with a look of longing.

  As one of the earliest Chinese researchers to aid Africa, Wang Qingfeng has been back and forth between China and African countries for more than 20 years. Collecting specimens on the African continent is very dangerous but he has made no fewer than 20 trips to Kenya to investigate and collect specimens. Many times in the face of poisonous insects, animals, and even landslides, but let Wang Qingfeng more determined to explore science. So far, he has traveled to more than 10 African countries, including Kenya, Zambia and Madagascar.

  "In 1996, I was sent to Chad for a year as an aid specialist and helped set up the conservation biology laboratory. I was touched by the hospitality of the local people." He told Zhang Xiaoqiang from Chad that although African countries have research needs in biodiversity conservation, most of them are facing problems of backward technology and lack of talent, and their research strength is relatively weak, which makes it difficult to carry out independent research for the time being. On the other hand, compared with China, Africa has a unique plant diversity with significant research value, so cooperation is necessary for both sides.

  The China-African Joint Research Center, led by the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is located in Nairobi, capital of Kenya. At present, the Center has built 4,500 square meters of experimental buildings and 243 acres of botanical garden in Nairobi, which has become an international academic cooperation platform open to the whole African region and has initially established a China-Africa scientific and technological cooperation network covering the entire African continent.

  Wang Qingfeng said that the center has published academic monographs such as "Common Plants in Kenya" and "Flora of Kenya". The average yield of hybrid rice varieties planted in Kenya is four to five times that of local conventional varieties, and the experimental planting of sweet sorghum yields more than 40% per mu. The selection of multi-bearing grape varieties will provide a new agricultural planting model for Kenya.

A number of research centers will be established

Encourage technology transfer to Africa

  Let more Chinese science and technology benefit the African people, Hubei is "in the forefront" .

  Designed and constructed by China Railway Bridge Survey and Design Institute and China Railway Bridge Bureau Group Co., LTD., the "Largest Cable-stayed bridge in Africa" --Mohammed VI Bridge in Morocco, which spans the Brig Valley, is called "Dream Bridge" by local people.

  Renfu Aise Pharmaceutical Co., LTD., founded by Renfu Pharmaceutical Group Co., LTD., is the first local pharmaceutical factory in Ethiopia that fully adopts Chinese standards and has passed its own GMP certification.

  The "First modern electrified Railway in Africa" -- The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, built by the Electrical Engineering Company of China Railway 11th Bureau Construction Group, is known as the "Tazara railway of the new century".

  Ethiopia's Laibi Garbage Power Plant, the "First Garbage Power Plant in Africa" built by Hubei Engineering Company of Power China, can provide lighting power for one-third of households in Addis Ababa, the capital of the country.

  "Hubei is developing rapidly, with good policies for innovation and entrepreneurship and many opportunities!" Zhang was joined by Isaac Ibrahim, also known as Li Bai, a Ghanaian who earned his doctorate in international trade from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2019 and runs a visual media company in Wuhan now. After the opening of the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center, Li hopes to connect Ghana and Hubei for cooperation and exchange.

  After leaving Wuhan Botanical Garden, the reporters and African friends walked into Hubei Provincial Foreign Science and Technology Exchange Center (China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center). Du Yun said the main tasks of the center are to build sub-centers for scientific research, establish bases for international science and technology cooperation, organize key national cooperation projects, cultivate innovative and entrepreneurial talents, and cultivate cooperation resources in Africa. Among them, priority will be given to research institutions such as joint research centers and laboratories jointly supported by China and Africa. We will encourage enterprises to carry out technology transfer and production capacity cooperation with Africa, and support investment in Africa such as enterprises in the fields of biomedicine, automobile manufacturing, clean energy and food security.

  "When I first came to Study in China, many of my classmates thought that my choice to study in China was worse than their choice to study in developed countries such as Europe and the United States. But with the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, many excellent Chinese enterprises have brought advanced technologies to Africa and entered Our country, and there will be more opportunities for us." After many years in China, Li Bai has become fluent in Chinese.