Chairman Zheng Peng and academicians and experts have formed a team to jointly discuss how industry–university–research collaboration can drive high-quality development.

On February 19, the China Energy and Chemical Industry–University–Research Collaboration Forum of 30 Leaders was solemnly held in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. Dubbed the “Davos Summit” of the energy and chemical industries, the forum was themed “Innovation and Shared Prosperity: A New Path Toward Chinese‑Style Scientific and Technological Modernization.” Leading national think tanks, academicians, experts, and prominent entrepreneurs engaged in forward-looking, in-depth discussions on topics such as the deep integration of industry, academia, and research; innovative development in the context of Chinese‑style modernization; and case studies of industry–university–research collaboration, thereby providing robust intellectual leadership and strategic support for the advancement of China’s energy and chemical sectors.

Gu Xiulian, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People’s Congress and former Minister of the Chemical Industry, attended the forum and delivered a speech. Li Shousheng, President of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, and Cui Xuejun, Party Secretary and Chairman of the China Chemical Industry News Co., Ltd., presided over the event. Zhang Yan, former Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, Chen Jinhu, Secretary of the CPC Changzhou Municipal Committee, and Chen Qun, Party Secretary of Changzhou University, also attended the meeting.

Gu Xiulian

In her address, Gu Xiulian expressed the hope that industry leaders and practitioners will focus on the cutting edge of global scientific and technological advancement, embrace a spirit of win-win cooperation, and pursue integrated collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions, thereby swiftly igniting a new wave of innovation-driven, high-quality development and opening up fresh prospects.

Academician Xie Kechang, former vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Academician Gan Yong, also a former vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Academician Xie Zaiku, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief engineer of Sinopec; Yang Jigang, vice president and chief engineer of China National Petroleum Corporation; Academician Chen Yong, chairman of the Guangdong Association for Science and Technology; Executive Vice President Wang Jianhua of the China Association for Promoting Industry–University–Research Cooperation; Academician Zhang Suojiang, director of the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Henan University; Academician Han Buxing, researcher at the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Zheng Qiang, Party secretary of Taiyuan University of Technology; Academician Song Bao’an, president of Guizhou University; Academician Jian Xigao, professor at Dalian University of Technology; Academician Wu Feng, professor at Beijing Institute of Technology; Ma Xinbin, vice president of Tianjin University; Chen Qun, Party secretary of Changzhou University; Li Xiaonian, president of Zhejiang University of Technology; Liu Zheng, dean of the School of Advanced Studies at Tsinghua University; He Gaohong, director of the Ministry of Education’s Center for Frontier Science in Intelligent Materials and Chemical Engineering; and Professor Zhang Jiansheng of Tsinghua University, among other distinguished guests, delivered insightful keynote presentations on topics such as “Frontiers of Scientific and Technological Innovation and Industrialization.”

Zheng Peng, Chairman of the Board and President of Pengfei Group, as one of the “30,” took to the forum’s podium alongside the aforementioned academicians and experts to share critical insights and perspectives from the real economy, and presented a successful case study of how Pengfei has leveraged industry–university–research collaboration to drive development.

Case Study on the Integrated Development of Industry–University–Research Collaboration at Pengfei Group

“Pengfei Group places great emphasis on talent development and scientific‑technological R&D, maintaining close industry‑university‑research collaborations with institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Renmin University of China, China University of Mining and Technology, and Taiyuan University of Technology. In the realm of industry‑academia‑research‑application integration, a pilot‑scale test base—comprising 11 hydrogen‑energy R&D teams covering hydrogen production, storage and transportation, equipment manufacturing, and other areas—has received approval from the science and technology authorities, providing a platform for pilot‑scale testing of domestic and international hydrogen‑related R&D projects and facilitating the coordinated commercialization of research outcomes. The Group has also jointly established an Advanced Manufacturing Joint Laboratory for Hydrogen‑Energy Vehicles with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, offering technical services to Pengfei Zhichuang and Dongfeng Special Vehicle Manufacturing. Furthermore, in collaboration with the academician Huang Qing’s team at Taiyuan University of Technology, it is advancing the R&D and production of Type IV hydrogen storage tanks, aiming to launch mass production within the year. Its subsidiary, Shanxi Kunpeng Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd., has successfully developed the world’s first 250 kW single‑stack hydrogen fuel cell engine, which was unveiled in Xiaoyi, Shanxi, in September 2022. Additionally, the Group is co‑developing autonomous heavy‑duty hydrogen‑powered trucks with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and SAIC Youdao Zhitu, with a demonstration operation scheduled to begin this year in Xiaoyi, Shanxi.”

Zheng Peng

Amid the profound transformations of the new era, Pengfei Group, with the courage and sense of responsibility of a reformer, is embarking on a new journey of high-quality development. Centered on hydrogen as both a medium and a core driver, the company is firmly committed to a path of competitive, distinctive growth—characterized by high-end positioning, differentiation, intensive resource utilization, circularity, environmental sustainability, and international collaboration. We look forward to joining forces with like-minded pioneers in the hydrogen energy sector to “add hydrogen‑powered momentum” to China’s energy industry, advancing its high‑quality development and modernization.

Chen Jinhu

Chen Jinhu, Secretary of the CPC Changzhou Municipal Committee, extended warm congratulations on the convening of the forum. He expressed the hope that the participating leaders and guests would offer insightful advice and share valuable experience to advance Changzhou’s high-quality development, seize shared development opportunities, strengthen industry–university–research collaboration, and jointly achieve mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes.

Li Shousheng

Li Shousheng, President of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, stated that the 30-Person Forum will undoubtedly become a high-end think-tank platform for the leapfrog development of China’s petroleum and chemical industries, guiding the sector toward cutting-edge advancement.

Chen Qun

Chen Qun, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Changzhou University, pointed out that China’s distinctive path to scientific and technological modernization, through the vigorous exchange of ideas among the “30‑person” think tank, will deliver a powerful impetus to both scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading, while also setting a new benchmark for talent cultivation in higher education institutions.

The 30‑person forum, themed “Integration and Shared Prosperity: A New‑Era Path to Chinese‑Style Scientific and Technological Modernization,” concluded successfully. National think tank members, academicians, experts, and prominent entrepreneurs engaged in insightful discussions on deepening the integration of industry, academia, and research and on leveraging collaborative innovation to drive high‑quality development in the new era, expanding the scope of emerging topics and sparking forward‑looking ideas that will fuel future innovation and propel high‑quality growth.