On October 15, during a press conference in Taiyuan, Liu Junyi, the Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Shanxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology, highlighted significant advancements in key technological breakthroughs, innovative platform construction, and enhanced capabilities for transferring scientific achievements into practical applications. Liu emphasized that in recent years, the department has focused on promoting a deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, resulting in notable progress in the province’s overall innovation system.
The press conference was organized by the Publicity Department of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party and the Information Office of the Shanxi Provincial Government. Representatives from the Shanxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology provided insights and addressed questions from the media.
In terms of tackling critical core technologies, the department has concentrated its efforts on enhancing original and leading scientific research, using high-quality technological solutions to support the construction of key industrial chains. This has included the implementation of 71 major provincial science and technology special projects and 400 provincial key research and development programs. As a result, the province has achieved over 80% of advanced coal production capacity, a 3% actual load change rate for traditional coal-fired units, and significant advancements in technologies such as the YE5 series three-phase asynchronous motors, which have filled a domestic gap in first-level energy-efficient products. Notably, single wells for coal bed methane have reached gas production levels exceeding 15,000 cubic meters per day.
Furthermore, the Shanxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology has viewed the construction of innovative platforms as essential to addressing the province’s weak scientific innovation resource base. They have tapped into local resources and advantages, aligning innovation chains with industrial chains to better integrate scientific resources and improve overall effectiveness. To date, 12 national major innovation platforms, 173 provincial key laboratories, 133 provincial technology innovation centers, and 155 new research and development institutions at both provincial and municipal levels have been established, forming a diverse and comprehensive innovation platform system.
The department has also emphasized using technological innovation to lead industrial innovation, working to eliminate barriers in translating scientific achievements into market-ready products. With initiatives like the “Jinchuang Valley” innovation-driven platform, efforts are underway to establish a hub for transforming scientific achievements into tangible productivity. A provincial working group has been formed, along with policies that are reportedly the first of their kind in the nation. Both “Jinchuang Valley – Taiyuan” and “Jinchuang Valley – Datong” have begun operations, while “Jinchuang Valley – Jinzhong” is set to follow suit.
Currently, “Jinchuang Valley – Taiyuan” has welcomed 154 technology-based enterprises, achieving a total sales and technology contract value of 227 million yuan. An innovative funding model disbursed 28 million yuan in startup funding for enterprises. “Jinchuang Valley – Datong” has admitted 19 companies, with industrial investments totaling 13 million yuan. The establishment of six national and six provincial technology transfer organizations, along with multiple pilot bases, has trained 357 technology managers, thus improving the system for transferring and transforming scientific achievements. In 2023, the provincial total for technology contract transactions reached 59.386 billion yuan, with high-value invention patents per ten thousand people reaching 2.55, marking increases of 69.5% and 97.7% respectively since the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan.
Shanxi’s reform of its science and technology system has sparked new vitality, implementing regulations such as the Detailed Implementation Rules for Major Science and Technology Special Projects. Initiatives like the “list-driven leadership” and “milestone system” have created a project generation mechanism involving collaboration among enterprises, government, and research institutions. Six departments in Shanxi have jointly launched a pilot implementation plan for three key reforms aimed at tech transfer, starting with Shanxi University, Taiyuan University of Technology, North University of China, and Shanxi Agricultural University. These reforms are targeted at addressing challenges that researchers face regarding the transition of their findings to market applications. A comprehensive evaluation system for technological achievements is being established to facilitate better value assessment, further improving the province’s innovative environment.
In the realm of aiding farmers and enhancing public welfare, the department is aggressively promoting four key scientific projects aimed at comprehensive rural revitalization, including organic dry farming and top-quality agriculture. The implementation of the “three zones” talent support plan and widespread adoption of “technology commissioners” has seen the dispatch of 2,667 professionals over three years, overcoming numerous agricultural challenges and bringing high-quality products like hairy crabs, salmon, dragon fruit, and Yulu pears to the market.
Looking ahead, Liu Junyi affirmed that the Shanxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology will continue to intensify reforms in the scientific and technological system, working to accelerate the establishment of a supportive framework for comprehensive innovation and fostering new forms of productive capacity.
