On June 2, Ambassador Xiao Qian was invited to deliver a video address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Global Industrial Technology Innovation Conference & China-Australia Innovation Week. Hosted in Shanghai by the National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE) and World Association for Industrial and Technology Research Organizations (WAITRO), the event themed on “Openness, Cooperation and Innovation for Sustainable Social Development”, bringing together nearly 400 experts, institutional representatives and entrepreneurs from across the globe.

Professor Robin Batterham, former President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and former Chief Scientist of Australia, addressed the conference. Keynote speeches were delivered by Professor Chennupati Jagadish, President of the Australian Academy of Science; Professor Max Lu, President of the University of Wollongong and Fellow of both the Australian Academy of Science and Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering; and Professor Martin Green, Fellow of both the Australian Academy of Science and Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and Professor of the University of New South Wales Sydney.

Ambassador Xiao stated that China and Australia are important partners to each other, with a sound foundation and broad prospects for cooperation in areas like technological innovation, industrial transformation, and green development. He expressed the hope that participants from both sides will take this as an opportunity to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as green and low-carbon development, life sciences and health, and the digital economy, and advance the commercialization and application of research outcomes, as well as the sharing of innovation resources, thereby opening up broader prospects for practical cooperation in innovation between the two countries, and continuously contribute positive substance to the stable and healthy development of our comprehensive strategic partnership.

Back in 2025, the inaugural China-Australia Innovation Forum was successfully held in Sydney, and this year’s China-Australia Innovation Week serves as its second instalment, establishing an important platform connecting the research entities, businesses, and markets of our two countries.