A major achievement of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was unveiled

CAS Showcases 123 Breakthroughs in the Greater Bay Area

On December 7, the 2025 Greater Bay Area Science Forum opened in Nansha, Guangzhou, alongside the CAS–Guangdong Science and Technology Achievement Matchmaking Conference. CAS brought together 123 major achievements from 33 institutes, marking the second time it has organized a dedicated event during this forum. A report on the progress of CAS major science facilities in Guangdong was also released.

The conference focused on “seizing the commanding heights of science and technology and empowering new quality productive forces.” Exhibits covered seven key areas: large-scale scientific facilities, low-altitude economy, marine ranching, artificial intelligence, new energy storage, biomedicine and projects under Guangdong’s “Hundreds, Thousands, Tens of Thousands” County Revitalization Program. The goal is to accelerate technology transfer and industrial adoption of CAS innovations in Guangdong.

Low-Altitude Economy and Marine Ranching Innovation

In the low-altitude economy zone, institutes such as the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics and the Institute of Automation showcased unmanned cargo aircraft, real-time flight control systems and counter‑UAV solutions. These displays demonstrated an integrated innovation chain from equipment development to systems applications, signaling CAS’s commitment to embedding advanced low-altitude technologies into the Greater Bay Area industrial ecosystem.

In the marine ranching zone, the “Upwelling Marine Ranch” model drew strong interest. Researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology explained how wave‑energy‑driven artificial upwelling supports a three‑dimensional “fish–sea cucumber–shellfish–seaweed” ecological aquaculture system. The exhibit, featuring sea cucumbers, sea urchins and sargassum in a simulated environment with a digital twin interface, highlighted its dual value for improving fishery yields and enhancing marine carbon sinks.

AI, Biomedicine and New Energy Storage Highlights

In artificial intelligence, CAS exhibited the MicroNeuro neurosurgical robot system, a new “industrial intelligence” paradigm based on computing technologies and the Panshi science foundation model. In biomedicine, key exhibits included space pharmaceutical equipment, a “Community Brain Health Cabin” concept and next‑generation artificial blood technologies. In new energy storage, CAS presented renewable liquid hydrogen storage, advanced compressed air energy storage and integrated wave–wind–solar energy security systems.

The “Hundreds, Thousands, Tens of Thousands” specialized zone showcased characteristic aquaculture breeding projects for red swamp crayfish and giant freshwater prawns, along with bio‑inspired cultivation techniques for ganoderma. These agricultural innovations aim to inject scientific and technological momentum into high‑quality development in county-level economies across Guangdong.

Major Science Facilities and “Along-the-Way” Applications

Guangdong’s cluster of CAS major science facilities is delivering both world-class research and significant spillover effects. On November 19, the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory released its first physics results, measuring two key neutrino oscillation parameters with 1.5–1.8 times better precision than the previous international best. CAS academician and project manager Wang Yifang noted that achieving such accuracy in only two months confirms the detector’s performance fully meets design expectations.

According to the Guangzhou Branch of CAS, construction and operation of major facilities in Guangdong have advanced rapidly in 2025. The Advanced Attosecond Laser Facility, the Cold Seep Ecosystem Research Facility and the Human Cell Lineage Large-Scale Research Facility have all started construction, while the High Intensity Heavy-Ion Accelerator achieved full-beam commissioning and the Jiangmen neutrino project entered official operation. CAS has deployed 10 major facilities in Guangdong, with 5 expected to be operational this year, providing strategic support for breakthroughs in core technologies and for the integration of scientific and industrial innovation.

The China Spallation Neutron Source alone has registered over 9,200 users and completed 2,285 experimental projects for 268 organizations. Its work supports national needs in aerospace, high-speed rail and shipping, new energy, magnetic quantum materials, high-performance alloys, polymers and information materials. Since 2007, CAS facilities in Guangdong have followed a “build while transferring, laying eggs along the way” approach, spinning off multiple civilian applications.

In Dongguan, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) technology developed from the spallation neutron source has already completed its first clinical trial. In Huizhou, technologies from the heavy-ion accelerator are being applied to next‑generation heavy-ion cancer treatment systems, with the Huizhou Heavy-Ion Medical Center now under construction.

Full-Chain Technology Transfer and “Science Marketplace”

The matchmaking conference hosted focused roadshows in new energy storage, new energy and biomedicine, bringing together institutes, companies and investors. Enterprises from 11 cities, including Guangzhou, released 20 priority technology demands with a planned R&D investment of 260 million yuan. Throughout the year, the Guangzhou Branch and the Guangdong Department of Science and Technology organized more than 30 matchmaking events across frontier fields such as biomedicine, AI, low-altitude economy and synthetic biology, involving over 50 research institutes and 800 companies.

In February, the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology launched China’s first “Science and Technology Results Supermarket,” a “technology Taobao” model for promoting. At this conference, the supermarket provided a concentrated display of the 123 key achievements. CAS has also built an online Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Network, publicly listing 3,200 transferrable to support rapid search and precise matching.

By linking the offline with the online network, CAS is creating an always-on supply–demand docking platform for enterprises and intermediaries. During the conference, around 350 enterprises with more than 700 participants registered, and a “Research Institutes in Guangdong” program sent over 30 expert teams into leading companies for in‑depth field visits. This mechanism opens a two-way channel for “scientists seeking markets and entrepreneurs seeking technology,” forming a full-chain model of “policy guidance, platform support, capital enabling and industrial implementation.”

Talent Development and Future Outlook in the Greater Bay Area

During the 14th Five-Year Plan, research funding for CAS institutes under the Guangzhou Branch has grown steadily. Newly added research funding has reached about 16.3 billion yuan, including 663 national-level projects such as National Key R&D Programs and CAS pilot projects totaling 4.1 billion yuan. The talent pipeline has also strengthened, with new awardees in Guangdong’s “Special Support Plan,” the “Pearl River Talent Plan,” provincial distinguished young scholars programs and several provincial-level science and friendship awards.

Leadership at the Guangzhou Branch emphasized that it will continue to focus on seizing the technological high ground while aligning with national and regional strategic needs. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, CAS institutions in Guangdong will deepen original innovation and tackle core technologies, aiming to consolidate CAS’s role as a backbone of China’s strategic science and technology strength and to drive high-quality development in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.