The 2023 World Transport Convention (WTC 2023) opened in Wuhan, Hubei Province on June 14, 2023.

Wang Zhonglin, deputy secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and governor of Hubei Province, Shu Wei, deputy secretary of the leading Party members group and full time vice president of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Wang Gang, member of the leading Party members group and vice minister of Transport, and Lu Chunfang, member of the Presidium and director of the Department of engineering management of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), attended the convention and delivered speeches respectively.

Young Tae Kim, secretary-general of the International Transport Forum (ITF), Abdullah A. Al-Mogbel, Chairman Emeritus for Life of the International Road Federation (IRF), Nazir Alli, president of the Permanent International Association of Road Congress (PIARC), Wang Haihuai, president of the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), and other guests delivered speeches respectively.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Shao Xinyu, member of the leading Party members group and vice governor of Hubei Province.

Shu Wei noted that transportation is the "major artery" of the national economy. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the development of the transport industry. Xi positions transportation as the pioneer of China's modernization and stays committed to promoting China’s transportation undertakings.

Featuring with comprehensiveness, internationalism, innovation, and perspectiveness, the WTC has been gradually becoming an important platform for global transport cooperation and an important event for multi-disciplinary experts to exchange ideas and make explorations since 2017.

Shu stressed that the WTC should put an emphasis on exploration and innovation to improve the core technologies in key fields to shape a better future for transport industry with collaborative integration and open cooperation efforts.

Shu urged Chinese sci-tech professionals in the field of transport to scale  scientific peaks, contribute Chinese wisdom to global scientific governance, and carry forward the spirit of Chinese scientists to foster a favorable eco-system for innovation.

Shu concluded that CAST is willing to work with the global scientific, technological and industrial circles to make transport technologies a betterment to promote human welfare and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

At the opening ceremony, focusing on the intelligent digital pre assembly technology of large and complex steel structure bridges, carbon neutrality and the transformation of mobility civilization in 20th century, the integration of data and reality and industrial innovation, the use of disruptive innovation technologies to improve traffic safety, and the collaborative empowerment of C-V2X vehicles and roads for intelligent transportation and driving, 5 world prestigious experts delivered keynote speeches respectively, demonstrating cutting-edge perspectives and development trends in transportation industry.

20 plus leaders from supporting and co-organizing units, representatives from more than 10 international organizations, 30 domestic and foreign academicians, as well as nearly 10,000 representatives from 53 countries and regions' transportation authorities, embassies in China, universities and institutions, and enterprises and institutions, participated in the opening ceremony.

Co-sponsored by CAST, the Ministry of Transport, the CAE and the People's Government of Hubei Province, the WTC 2023 was held from June 14 to 17.

Under the theme of "Innovation, Low Carbon, Intelligence and Sharing -- A More Sustainable Transportation", the WTC 2023 consisted of 261 parallel forums and 44 special events, totaling over 1700 academic reports.

During the same period, the Science and Technology Expo of Transport was held with a total exhibition area of 20,000 square meters and showcased over 300 remarkable achievements.

The WTC 2023 also held Field Finals & Award Ceremony for 2023 World University Students’ Bridge Design Competition, the 2023 World Footbridge Awards Ceremony, and the 2022 China Highway & Transportation Society Award Ceremony at the same time, and released more than 20 achievements of 15 think tanks.

Tag: Department of Sci-tech Innovation of CAST, International Conference