On the morning of June 22, the 2020 Nanjing Innovation Week officially kicked off. Centering on the theme of "Understanding urban innovation", the conference invited many heavyweight guests to interpret Nanjing's innovation practice and share the concept of urban innovation. Former French President Francois Hollande was invited to attend the event through the "cloud connection" and delivered his insights.
Hollande said the Nanjing Innovation Week is the first international event he has participated in via video since the global novel coronavirus epidemic. He believes that under the current global epidemic and economic background, it is necessary to revitalize the world economy through innovation and technological development, only in this way can we develop future industries and improve people's well-being. Only through technology and innovation can we usher in a new stage of development and better protect the planet. It is also only through innovation that digital technologies can be harnessed to provide new services, share knowledge, culture, and make technology a staple of everyday life.
Hollande pointed out that the global need to open the market, the need for mutual trust, even if there are various constraints and epidemic restrictions, the world should still insist on exchanges, insist on production, continue commercial trade. The crisis has also highlighted the need for international cooperation in health and research. In the face of COVID-19, as well as challenges such as climate change, biodiversity conservation and development in the poorest countries, what we need now is global governance around international institutions, not a retreat into protectionism, isolationism or statism. The management of globalization is the significance of China-France cooperation and China-Eu dialogue.
Hollande said that China and France trust each other and have cooperated for many years in medicine, environment and other fields. These two great countries should continue to strengthen their cooperation and set an example. He is sure that Innovation Week will encourage more French companies to invest here, and he is also very happy to welcome Chinese companies from Nanjing to France.