On the afternoon of April 5th 2017, Wang Weizhong, secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee, and Li Xiaolin, chairman of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, met with the Nobel Prize in Medicine Dr James Watson and other domestic and international specialists at the 2017 Shenzhen International Precision Medicine Summit, jointly organized by SUSTech.

Mr Wang introduced the Summit and discussed it’s goal, to stimulate innovation in the biological, life and health industries in Shenzhen. He said the municipality is comprehensively implementing the general direction of General Secretary Xi Jinping, which wants to focus on important new ideas and innovation. In this context the delegation welcomed Dr. Watson and his team to participate in the summit talks, with the goal of building closer ties between the educational and industry circles of China and the United States.

Dr Watson expressed his appreciation for the achievements of Shenzhen city’s innovation and development, and shared his experience about making major scientific breakthroughs. He expressed his hope for a closer future where progress strengthens exchanges, which in turn can better advance the life sciences, precision medicine and other cutting-edge technology and industrial developments.

City leaders Guo Yonghang, Tian Fu, Wu Yihuan and SUSTech Chairwoman Guo Yurong attended the meeting.

The 2017 Shenzhen International Precision Medicine Summit was organised under the guidance of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, SUSTech, Shenzhen Qianhai Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone Authority, the Shenzhen Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission, Baoan District People’s Government and co-sponsored by the Cheerland Investment Group. Held over April 6^–7^th 2017, the summit attracted over 1,000 people. SUSTech President Chen Shiyi, director of the National Science and Technology Achievement Transformation and Guidance Fund and Chairman of the Institute of Precision Medicine Research Ma Weihua, Chairman of the Cheerland Investment Group Liu Ruyin, Dean of the Innovation Society of Silicon Valley, and Professor of the Institute of Precision Medicine Dean Fu Xinyuan were all present at the summit.