A sub-forum themed Innovation, Greenness, Digital Intelligence and Integration Led High-Quality Development was held on March 27, during the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference in Boao, south China's Hainan Province.

Participants exchanged views on multiple sectors including innovation-driven transformation, green and low-carbon transformation, digital and intelligent transformation, and shared integration transformation from a multi-dimensional perspective. They offered insights and suggestions on accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and promoting high-quality industrial development.

Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and now chairman of the BFA, gave a speech via video, while Song Hailiang, Board Chairman of Energy China, delivered a speech at the sub-forum.

Ban Ki-moon said in his speech that the world today faces global challenges such as climate change, poverty and inequality, and sluggish economic recovery. He hopes countries can play the roles of the government and business communities to make the world safer, more prosperous, and more sustainable.

Ban Ki-moon said at a key historical juncture of inheriting the past and ushering in the future, he is glad to see that Energy China has taken on its responsibility and provided systematic, innovative, and effective solutions for industrial and economic transformation.

Song Hailiang pointed out in his speech that "innovation, greenness, digital intelligence and integration" is the underlying trend and the call of the times.

Regarding "innovation, greenness, digital intelligence and integration" as its core development concept, Energy China is continuously optimizing the industrial layout of productive forces, market and regional layout, and resource and capital layout, he said.

Song Hailiang said Energy China is currently accelerating its four transformations, i.e. innovation-driven transformation, green and low-carbon transformation, digital intelligence transformation, and sharing integration transformation, building platforms for new energy, new infrastructure, new industry and new materials in a systematic manner. These efforts have promoted the upgrading of traditional industries and the cultivation of emerging industries.

Song Hailiang put forward four suggestions for accelerating the company's four major transformations. First, he called for prioritizing sci-tech innovation to lead industrial innovation through technological advancements.

Second, he proposed a systematic solution to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy sector and enhance the levels of green construction, green manufacturing, and green operation.

Third, he urged promoting digital management, industrial digitalization, digital industrialization, and data-to-value capability in an in-depth manner to upgrade smart power plants, smart energy, smart parks and other products through innovation.

Fourth, he called on introducing the model featuring the integration of the seven networks of energy, transportation, data, water, ecology, industry, and culture, as well as integration between different industries, inside every industry chain, between industries and elements, and between different regions, which are distinct characteristics of Energy China, to more regions. This will facilitate deep integration of industrial chains, supply chains, value chains, and innovation chains.

Song Hailiang said promoting green energy transformation requires international cooperation. Energy China will leverage its advantages in high-end planning, consulting, and research to provide a series of original insights and transformation paths, providing all-round services for international green energy cooperation.

The company will give full play to its leading position in the energy and power business to provide partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative with full life-cycle services of new energy to vigorously promote the low-carbon transformation of the energy and power sectors, he said.

Song Hailiang added that Energy China will capitalize on its strengths in sci-tech innovation and data integration to support the high-end and digital development of global energy.

The company will also utilize its advantages as an international exchange and cooperation platform to build high-quality and efficient industrial chains and an ecosystem of mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly contributing to a green Earth and green development, he noted.

Wu Yun, Vice President, Zhou Xiaoneng, Chief Economist and General Manager of the Market Development Division of Energy China, as well as the heads of relevant departments and organizations attended the sub-forum.