Wan Gang, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and president of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), delivered a speech via video link at the opening of the World Conference on Science Literacy 2020 in Beijing on Dec 8. 

Representatives from 23 international, national and regional science and technology organizations as well as top experts in related fields gathered to discuss the public science literacy  and fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in a scientific way. 

Citing the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee which vows to promote the "all-around development of human beings", significantly improve its people's science literacy and  carry the opening-up to a higher level while expanding its scale and broadening its scope, Wan said the Chinese scientific and technological community will be more proactive in promoting its integration into the global innovation network. 

The rampage of the COVID-19 pandemic once again proved that mankind is an interdependent community sharing weal and woe, Wan noted, adding that it is necessary to maximize the leading role of scientific and technological innovation in overcoming crises and achieving sustainable development and to advance the fundamental and supporting role of the public's science literacy. 

Wan called on the global scientific community to enhance multilateral exchanges and uphold opening-up and cooperation. 

He said that the scientific community should work together to improve the public science literacy across the globe, contribute to the anti-pandemic fight and economic recovery, build a community of a shared future for mankind, realize the Unite Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and make the world a better place. 

Hosted by the CAST through video link and offline meetings, the conference, the third of its kind, aimed to improve public science literacy, deepen international cooperation, and jointly build a community of a shared future for mankind. 

Huai Jinpeng, the CAST's executive vice-president, Zhang Boli, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Michael Levitt, Nobel laureate in chemistry, were also present and made presentations.