Beijing Annual Meeting 2017 and the 6th China Soft Science Prize Award Ceremony

Information

The annual meeting is intended to explore the way to update management procedures, regulations, concentrate and deploy resources efficiently with new economic engine introduced in place of the old one, as China’s economy is transitioning to a new normal. It is also serves as a dialogical platform for Chinese enterprises and the academia to seek policy proposals for the reference of policymakers.

China Soft Science Prize is an award introduced and funded by SSSDF in 2010. Since 2015 the prize is assessed biennially. In order to ensure its independence, authority and inclusiveness, SSSDF assesses social science studies in a scientific, simple, practicable and impartial manner.

Date: June 20, 2017

Venue: Room 103, First Floor, China Hall of Science and Technology

Host: CDI, Shenzhen Soft Science Development Foundation (SSSDF)

Theme: New Economy and Old System

Program

Beijing Annual Meeting 2017

08:40-09:10 Registration

09:10-09:20 Opening Remarks

Fan Gang, President, CDI

Moderator: Guo Wanda, Executive Vice President, CDI

09:20-09:40 CDI Report on New Economy and Old System

Ruan Meng, Director, Public Economy Research Department, CDI

09:40-10:55 Session One: New Supervision Concept and New Economy Development

Moderator: Guo Wanda, Executive Vice President, CDI

Panelists:

Zhang Bei, Vice President, Didi Chuxing

Liu Muyun, President, Beike Biotechnology

Zheng Zhibin, Vice President, Huawei

Dong Jiayun, CEO, Fairpur

10:55-11:10 Coffee Break

11:10-12:25 Session Two: Inclusive Mechanism Innovation and Engine Transition

Moderator: Cao Yuanzheng, Chief Economist, BOC International Holdings Limited

Panelists:

Lv Wei, Director, Research Department of Innovation Development, The Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC)

Xue Zhaofeng, Professor, National School of Development, Peking University

Zhang Zhanbin, Director, Economic Research Department, Chinese Academy of Governance

Wu Jinxi, Associate Professor, Institute of Science, Technology & Society, Tsinghua University

12:25-12:35 Press Conference: Rethinking China’s Urbanization and Metropolis

Fan Gang, President, CDI

12:35-12:40 Closing Remarks

Guo Wanda, Executive Vice President, CDI

12:40-13:40 Lunch

The 6th China Soft Science Prize Award Ceremony

14:00-14:30 Registration

14:30-14:40 Video: 10th Anniversary of Shenzhen Soft Science Development Foundation

Moderator: Li Jinkui, Senior Research Fellow, CDI

14:40-14:50 Opening Remarks

Xu Yongfa, Chairman, Shenzhen Soft Science Development Foundation

14:50-15:00 Introduction of Award Rules

Fan Gang, President, CDI

15:00-15:35 Award Ceremony of the 6th China Soft Science Prize

15:35-15:40 Group Photo

15:40-17:05 Award Reports

17:05-17:30 Interaction

Highlights

Here are excerpts from the Beijing Annual Meeting 2017.

“More institutional reforms and prudent regulations are needed in future”.

A new economy is featured with unprecedented fast reform and trans-boundary convergence. Backward and inflexible old institutions stand in the way of the new economy. There are a lot of constrictions that obstruct the development of the new economy and limit the free flow and efficient deployment of factors, clashing with established interest groups, institutional failures, outdated regulations, fragmented management and non-integrated resources. Firstly, it’s very important for policymakers to maximize consumer interests. Secondly, regulations should be reformed to accelerate the development of the new economy. Finally, various regulatory authorities should coordinate efforts.

Ruan Meng, Director, Public Economy Research Department, CDI

“Policymakers are responsible for security and environmental protection.”

E-hailing is different from the traditional taxi industry. The rates of E-hailing reflect demand while its service quality reflects profit. However, the principle of “survival of the fittest” is ineffective within an outdated regulatory framework. Policymakers should promote marketplace fairness, thereby, eliminate restrictive institutions and decentralize power.

Zhang Bei, Vice President, Didi Chuxing

“We see the rapid development of technology, increasing clinical needs and improving healthcare awareness. Are regulations and policies an impetus or an obstruction? ”

The healthcare industry in China is in a dilemma. Excessive regulations stifle market flexibility, while inadequate regulations aggravate the chaos. To improve the healthcare industry, policymakers should adjust regulations to support new technology, meanwhile, supervise the drug quality and ensure the security. The industry needs safeguards instead of restrictions for technological advances.

Liu Muyun, President, Beike Biotechnology

“Management and institutional defects in government procurement lies in overemphasis on process and underemphasis on consequence.”

The government should marketize procurement procedures. For example, procurement information can be more transparent including databases and data sources. Unified qualification procedures can be issued, thereby, enable users to reach bidder information and learn industry standards.

Dong Jiayun, CEO, Fairpur

Dong Jiayun: CEO of Shenzhen Qianhai Internet Tech Holdings

“Marketization is not a panacea as it fails sometimes.”

Policymakers should take advantage of the market mechanism to channel good resources into corporate innovation. Industry policy can play an incentive role if it can generate driving forces. It is not true that there are no industry polices in the U.S. and Japan, by contrast, the scientific and technological innovation have well supported by lots of relevant policies.

Lv Wei, Director, Research Department of Innovation Development, The Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC)

“It’s important that the stakeholders share regulatory responsibilities based on their capability and involvement. It’s not fair to blame on the disadvantaged.”

The rationales, stakeholders and objectives of the original regulatory mechanism are falling apart. The stakeholders should take the responsibilities in the public affairs. Therefore, the e-hailing platform should take more responsibilities in terms of security, rates and routes.

Xue Zhaofeng, Professor, National School of Development, Peking University

“Leave the new institutions alone. Don’t call it a stop at will.”

Flexible regulations must have a bottom line. Policymakers must give a free hand to the market and legalize some universal market practices. Business associations also play an important role in third-party assessment. Policymakers can adopt technical innovations to join up information islands.

Zhang Zhanbin, Director, Economic Research Department, Chinese Academy of Governance

“When research institutes are commercialized, their business has turned to short-term profit-making projects. Fewer fundamental technologies are available to be shared.”

Since the reform and opening-up in 1978, countless science parks, development zones and industrial parks have sprung up across China. However, most of these entities are not capable of in-depth scientific research and fail to commercialize the technology. When it comes to fundamental technology, both the market and the government have their weaknesses. There has to be an institution between these two, in this case, industry technology institutes could be an indispensable solution.

Wu Jinxi, Associate Professor, Institute of Science, Technology & Society, Tsinghua University

“Sow the seeds and leave them alone.”

The developing countries have more stable markets and more clearly-defined industrial plans. To maintain an effective and feasible policy, they only need to follow the pace of the developed countries. Because of its randomness and unpredictability, technological breakthroughs make industry policy largely ineffective. We can only improve the system which can breed innovation.

Cao Yuanzheng, Chief Economist, BOC International Holdings Limited

Winners of the 6th China Soft Science Prize

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Wu Xiaoling, Deputy director, the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress

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Gu Baochuang Professor, Population Development Studies Center, Renmin University of China

Establishment of the Rule of Law in China based on the thinking of International Rule of Law and Annual Report on China's Practice in Promoting the International Rule of Law (2015)

Zeng Lingliang, Former Senior Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences, Wuhan University

Winner of Policy Research of the 6th China Soft Science Prize