BRICS Future Networks Institute China Branch Inaugurated in Shenzhen

On August 6, the inauguration ceremony of the BRICS Future Networks Institute China Branch and the Future Networks Innovation Forum were held in Shenzhen. Chen Zhaoxiong, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology of China; Chen Rugui, Mayor of Shenzhen; heads of information and communications technology (ICT) regulatory authorities from Cambodia, Egypt, Laos, Russia, India, South Africa, the Philippines, Hungary, and Malaysia; and leaders of international organizations—including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the GSMA—attended the event, jointly witnessing the establishment of the BRICS Future Networks Institute China Branch.

In June this year, BRICS leaders met in Osaka, Japan, reaching an important consensus to continue strengthening BRICS cooperation in science and technology innovation, entrepreneurship, and startups. The establishment of the BRICS Future Networks Institute is a key initiative implementing the joint proposal by the heads of state of all BRICS countries.

Commissioned by Wang Weizhong, Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee, Mayor Chen Rugui delivered remarks on behalf of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, extending a warm welcome to all guests. He stated that, under the support and guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Shenzhen will leverage the establishment of the China Branch as an opportunity to integrate the technical expertise and professional capabilities of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) with Shenzhen’s unique advantages in scientific and technological innovation, industrial leadership, and talent aggregation. Shenzhen will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with BRICS countries and other regions, deepen joint research and collaborative innovation in future networks, and strive to build the China Branch into a highland for future network technology R&D and an international platform for cooperation and exchange—adding new impetus to Shenzhen’s efforts to build a pilot demonstration zone for socialism with Chinese characteristics and to become a model city for socialist modernization, while making greater contributions to the innovative development of BRICS and ‘BRICS+’ countries.

About the BRICS Future Networks Institute China Branch

Since 2015, under the framework of the BRICS Ministers of Communications Meeting, the five BRICS countries have actively promoted ICT technological and industrial innovation, interconnection of telecommunications infrastructure, and high-quality development of the digital economy—achieving positive progress in ICT technology exchange, industrial collaboration, and policy sharing.

At the fourth BRICS Ministers of Communications Meeting held in September 2018, the formal approval was granted to establish the ‘BRICS Future Networks Institute’, serving as the core mechanism for cooperation across ICT technologies, industries, infrastructure, policies, and talent development. The Institute aims to build a collaborative R&D platform for future networks, deepen exchanges on ICT technological and industrial innovation, coordinate ICT standardization efforts, formulate roadmaps for future networks, and jointly address critical challenges in future network development—thereby collectively advancing innovative development in future network technologies and industries across BRICS countries.

A modest goal first:

By 2022, the Institute will be preliminarily established as a national-level professional think tank in the ICT domain and an international platform for cooperation and exchange with BRICS and ‘BRICS+’ countries, having initially developed capabilities in ICT policy research, technological innovation, product development, testing and verification, and application demonstration.

And an ambitious goal:

To become a world-class, national-level professional ICT think tank—comprising integrated platforms for policy research, technological innovation, product development, testing and verification, application demonstration, interoperable infrastructure construction, and international exchange and cooperation.

Future Networks Innovation Forum Explores the Future of Networks

This Future Networks Innovation Forum attracted numerous domestic and international participants. Regarding trends in 5G and future networks—and the opportunities and challenges facing Shenzhen—guests highlighted Shenzhen’s unique strengths in aggregating resources to jointly advance communications technology development.

The forum featured in-depth discussions on key topics including 5G and the next-generation internet, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, spectrum management, and the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19). Participants also visited leading enterprises such as Huawei, ZTE, Tencent, and DJI, and took part in Shenzhen’s 5G Experience Week.

Egypt’s Minister of Communications: ‘We hope to introduce more advanced technologies from Shenzhen’

At the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in April this year, Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to strengthen cooperation in communications and information technology. During his visit to Shenzhen, Minister Talaat expressed his desire to introduce more advanced technologies from Shenzhen—and from China at large—into Egypt.

Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt: ‘China—and especially Shenzhen—is playing a leading role globally in the field of 5G. I have held numerous meetings with Chinese enterprises, facilitating broader adoption of Chinese technologies and equipment in Egypt.’