On the afternoon of April 28, the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Science Fiction Integration Forum, undertaken by the Hong Kong Science Popularization and Science Fiction Academy (HKSPSF), was held in Shougang Park, Beijing. As an important part of the 2024 China Science Fiction Convention, this forum aims to deepen the cooperation and joint progress of Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao in the fields of scientific and technological innovation and science popularization education through cross-regional and multi-dimensional exchanges. More than 200 people including leaders at all levels, science fiction writers, science popularization education representatives from Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao, and teachers and students from primary and secondary schools attended the forum.
Bai Gengsheng, Vice President of the China Writers Association and President of the China Reportage Society, delivered a speech.
In the leadership speech session, Bai Gengsheng expressed that the combination of literature and technology will make our literature full of hard power, and only when technology, literature, and culture are better combined can our literature prosper more and achieve breakthroughs; he encouraged us to plug in the wings of fantasy, fantasy is the first element of literature, without fantasy, the progress of science and technology will be very slow; without science fiction, our fantasy will forever remain just empty talk. The combination of science and technology and literature is a powerful alliance and a pioneer in China's realization of cultural construction of a powerful country.
Meng Fanxing, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology
Meng Fanxing believes that technological innovation and science popularization and science fiction education are the dual-wheel drive promoting social progress and human civilization. In this age of increasingly developed information dissemination, technological innovations emerge endlessly, science popularization education advances with the times, and science fiction education is an important channel to stimulate teenagers' curiosity and imagination, and an important means to cultivate teenagers' scientific literacy.
Qian Hang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shijingshan District Committee and Minister of the United Front Work Department
Qian Hang delivered a speech and expressed a warm welcome to the guests present. He stated that the development pattern of the science fiction industry in Shijingshan District has initially taken shape, the City of Science Fiction in Western Beijing is rising rapidly, and Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao maintain close exchanges and cooperation. This has not only made positive contributions to promoting the integrated development of the regional economy but will also inject new vitality into the prosperity and development of the science fiction industry. He hoped that all guests could make full use of the opportunity of this forum to conduct in-depth exchanges and extensive cooperation to jointly promote the development of the three places.
Shang Hailong, Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and Consultant of SenseTime
In the keynote speech session, Shang Hailong spoke on the theme of "Connecting Two Major Centers, Gathering Talent Effects, and Promoting the Rapid Development of Artificial Intelligence". He started with Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and talked about the core of science fiction being science and imagination. "Science fiction coming true" has promoted the brewing of every round of productivity revolution in human history. To develop new quality productivity represented by artificial intelligence, he said that only under the "One Country, Two Systems" system can we appreciate the different thinking brought about by different advantageous systems.
Xu Xiao, Investment Promotion Director of Shougang Winter Olympics Plaza
Xu Xiao gave a keynote speech titled "Shougang Park - Innovative Space Carrier of China Science Fiction Convention, Assisting the Vigorous Development of the Science Fiction Industry". He pointed out that Shougang Park, as the innovative space carrier of the China Science Fiction Convention, provides strong support for the vigorous development of the science fiction industry; as a comprehensive park themed on technological innovation and cultural creativity, it is a gathering place for various technological and cultural enterprises and organizations, providing rich resources and platforms for the science fiction industry.
Summit Forum: Science Fiction Shines into the Future, Technological Innovation Drives Development
In the Summit Forum session, famous sci-fi writer, member of the Presidium of the China Writers Association, and Dean of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute Liu Cixin; famous sci-fi writer, Director of the Science Fiction Creation Research Base of the China Science Writers Association, and Honorary Dean of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute Wang Jinkang; Director of the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation, Associate Vice-President (Research and Innovation) of the University of Hong Kong, and President of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences Anderson Shum Ho-cheung; Assistant Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Founder of Weitu AI Wang Liwei; Vice Director of the Cyber Security Association of China and Co-founder of 01.AI Ma Jie; and Executive Deputy Director of the Science Fiction Committee of the China Science Film and Video Association and Think Tank Expert of the Industrial Technology Innovation Professional Committee of the China Association for Promoting International Economic & Technical Cooperation Chao Xia discussed around the topic "Science Fiction Shines into the Future, Technological Innovation Drives Development". Xu Haishan, President of the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre and Director and Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation, served as the host of the Summit Forum.
When talking about AI, Liu Cixin stated that if humans really want to continue for a long time, we must maintain the most original spirit of constant exploration of life, opening up new worlds and the unknown. When true AI satisfies everything for us, the loss of the pursuit of the unknown and the enterprising spirit of opening up new worlds is not a good thing.
Wang Jinkang believes that in the long linear development of mankind, there will definitely be a steep transition. Mankind should conform to reality and objective laws when facing the issue of artificial intelligence disruption. Anderson Shum Ho-cheung, when talking about the topic of artificial intelligence surpassing humans, said that we should play the positive role of artificial intelligence and maintain a neutral attitude towards it. In the artificial intelligence issue, how to use artificial intelligence is the most critical.
Wang Liwei, starting from a research perspective, said that we should explore in a relatively controllable and more efficient way. Ma Jie believes that although the capabilities of current large models have improved greatly, they are still in the early stages. With the increase in the number of model layers and width, there will definitely be great room for improvement in the future. Chao Xia, starting from his personal work "Giant's City", talked about how science fiction works are full of imagination, and the technology set in the works may happen in the future.
In the keynote speeches of the second half, Professor Wang Zuankai, Associate Vice President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Tam Kam Weng, Director of the Center for Science and Engineering Promotion of the University of Macau, delivered wonderful speeches on the themes of "Fully Utilizing Hardware, Software and Firmware to Cultivate Future Innovation and Technology Talents" and "2000 Sailing Towards Macao Science Popularization" respectively.
Professor Wang Zuankai, Associate Vice President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Wang Zuankai used the small droplet in "The Three-Body Problem" as an example to scientifically answer two most important questions for the guests on site: how to shorten the solid-liquid time, how to convert the kinetic energy of water into electrical energy, and realize high-temperature heat from the latent heat of water.
Tam Kam Weng, Director of the Center for Science and Engineering Promotion of the University of Macau
Tam Kam Weng reported on a series of work done by the University of Macau in cooperation with the Macao Science Center and introduced the situation of science popularization exchange and cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The University of Macau and the Macao Science Center join hands to promote science popularization education and carry forward the scientific spirit.
Roundtable Dialogue: Science Fiction + Science Popularization: Igniting the Fire of Scientific and Technological Innovation in Primary and Secondary Schools in the Three Places
In the roundtable dialogue session, seven guests including Cao Jie, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shijingshan District, Beijing and the Management Committee of Zhongguancun Shijingshan Park; Paulina Yuen (Yuen Yuet Bo), Curator of the Hong Kong Science Museum; Mok Ian Ian, Chairman of the Macao Science Center; Fung Kam Wing, Director of the Hong Kong Maritime Museum; Kou Kam Fai, Principal of Pui Ching Middle School (Macau); Lu Jianwei, Principal of the Affiliated Experimental School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Ng Woon Kit, Principal of Pui Kiu Middle School (Hong Kong), conducted an in-depth discussion on the theme "Science Fiction + Science Popularization: Igniting the Fire of Scientific and Technological Innovation in Primary and Secondary Schools in the Three Places". It was hosted by Li Jiaxuan, Yau Tsim Mong District Councilor of the HKSAR and Director of HKSPSF.
Cao Jie introduced the development of the science fiction industry in Shijingshan District to the guests from three points. She stated that Shijingshan District promotes the gathering of the science fiction industry in Shijingshan District through the process of promoting production and industry through conferences; builds an ecosystem around the science fiction industry and accelerates the gathering of enterprises through a series of carriers; and starts from science fiction to drive the development of future industries and emerging industries. Then, taking the Shijingshan District Science and Technology Museum as an example, she discussed the way of combining science and technology museums with schools.
Paulina Yuen introduced the specific situation of the Hong Kong Science Museum. While talking about science fiction exhibitions, she pointed out that science fiction and science promote each other. Science fiction imagination is ahead of its time. Inspired by science fiction, scientists constantly explore new fields of science and technology and promote the progress and development of science and technology. Mok Ian Ian introduced the situation of the Macao Science Center and two education bases, as well as their important contributions to improving public scientific literacy and promoting scientific culture dissemination. Fung Kam Wing's introduction comprehensively demonstrated the unique charm and value of the Hong Kong Maritime Museum in maritime history, culture, education, and international exchange, allowing more people to understand and pay attention to this vibrant and influential cultural institution.
Kou Kam Fai stated that in basic education, especially in schools as the main position of education, imparting scientific and technological knowledge is certainly important, but what is more critical is cultivating students' scientific and technological literacy. Pui Ching Middle School has made active efforts in cultivating scientific and technological literacy and carrying forward Chinese culture, providing students with comprehensive and systematic scientific and technological education. Lu Jianwei stated that promoting the combination of museum-school curriculums and research study activities in various places is a work of great significance. It can not only enrich students' learning experience and improve their comprehensive quality but also promote the connection between schools and society and promote the comprehensive development of education. Ng Woon Kit used the development history of science and technology education in Pui Kiu Middle School as an example to introduce that while developing science and technology education, we should pay more attention to humanistic care, allowing children to learn independently and develop freely.
The forum ended successfully in a warm atmosphere. The attending guests took a group photo together, leaving unforgettable moments.
The successful holding of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Science Fiction Integration Forum, undertaken by the Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute, HKSPSF, and Beijing Shijingshan District Future Science Fiction Industry Development Center, not only built an important platform for scientific, technological and cultural exchanges and cooperation among the three places but also injected new momentum into promoting the development of future technology and science popularization education. It is believed that in the near future, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao will achieve more fruitful results in the fields of scientific and technological innovation and science popularization education, and jointly write a new brilliant chapter.