Zhu Yongxin, vice-chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), led a team from the Committee on Education, Science, Health and Sports of the CPPCC National Committee to survey Shanghai from Jan 12 to 14. The survey focused on promoting the healthy development of the biomedical industry.

The team visited scientific research institutes, universities, enterprises and medical institutions in the city. They gained an in-depth understanding of the layout of original innovation capabilities in the pharmaceutical sector, the construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure, collaborative R&D and innovation, joint talent training, industrial ecosystem, as well as clinical research and transformation.

The team members communicated with representatives from various sectors and extensively solicited opinions and suggestions. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has always adhered to the principle of putting the people and their lives first since the 18th CPC National Congress, they noted, adding that the CPC Central Committee has implemented the Healthy China initiative and strategically prioritized the people's health, which led to the improved innovation ecosystem for biomedicine and enhanced global competitiveness thereof.

According to the team members, it is necessary to coordinate the integrated reform of the education, science and technology, and talent systems, give full play to the advantages of the State-coordinated approach that mobilizes resources nationwide, and focus on the development of the entire industrial chain, to ensure the smooth transformation from laboratory scientific and technological achievements to clinical application, thereby laying a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the biomedical industry.

They also agreed that efforts should be made to improve the guarantee system, innovate incentive policies, optimize the evaluation and approval mechanism, deepen the reform of the healthcare system, cultivate patient capital in the pharmaceutical field, and further optimize the foreign investment environment, to create a new ecosystem for the high-quality development of the biomedical industry.