On 24 November, Professor PAN Jiaofeng, Vice-Secretary-General and Director of the Bureau of Strategic Planning of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), was invited to give a special talk entitled, “Implementing ‘Innovation 2020’ and Spearheading the Development of Chinese Science and Technology”, at the Center for Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CEODE). The presentation, hosted by GUO Huadong, Director-General of CEODE, was attended by relevant administrators and researchers. Afterwards, PAN toured CEODE and listened to the “CEODE Working Report” by CEODE Deputy Director ZHANG Bing.

PAN’s report is an important part of talent training in 2011 for mid-level cadres and researchers of CEODE. The report was focused on the formation process, contents and implementation of “Innovation 2020”, providing more information about “China’s strategic planning and development research on the key scientific and technologic domains in 2050”. He mainly introduced the strategic mission, development objectives and key actions of “Innovation 2020”. He briefly introduced the general idea, strategy, main focus, breakthrough efforts, and mission, and also measured the progress of implementation in the startup phase. Based on examples, PAN interpreted the connotation and reference standard of “one position, three major breakthroughs and five cultivating directions”. Ideas for reconstructing other assessment systems and the organizational status of CAS were also presented in his report.

After the report, PAN visited the Digital Earth Science Platform, the operation and management system of remote sensing satellites and the three international organizations hosted by CEODE: the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the Auspices of UNESCO, the International Society for Digital Earth, and the International Programme Office for Integrated Research on Disaster Risk. Afterwards, PAN delivered a speech.

He first spoke highly of CEODE’s achievements since its establishment. He pointed out that the combination of research and development is innovative and sustainable, saying CEODE has clear directions, distinctive features, and had developed prospective and systematic research work. He went on to note that CEODE had become an international, integrated, comprehensive research center, offering special services for national development strategies and decisions.

PAN said that the fields of Earth Observation and Digital Earth were a multidisciplinary kind, which holds promising development. In order to provide technical support for national and economic development, CEODE should develop its own systems for allocating resources, fostering talent, and for management and evaluation practices. 

Deputy Director ZHANG Feng of the Bureau of Strategic Planning, CAS, Professor SHI Bing of the Bureau of Strategic Planning, CAS, as well as CEODE administrators WANG Xiaoming and WANG Erhe were also present.

Professor PAN Jiaofeng gives a report at CEODE

Professor PAN Jiaofeng (second to the left) in the lobby of CEODE during a tour