Researcherstest the equipment used for synthetic biology research at a laboratoryof Guangming Science City in Shenzhen. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By CHEN Chunyou

Inearly June, Guangming Science City in northwest Shenzhen rolled out anew regulation, aimed at empowering the city with more freedom to clearthe bottlenecks hindering its reform and development, and establish anew operation and management mechanism to drive innovation performanceof researchers, research institutes and enterprises.

Construction of the Guangming Science City began in 2019 and the newregulation has come at a time when construction is proceeding rapidly.

The regulation made detailed provisions on the layout, cultivationand construction of major scientific and technological infrastructureand cutting-edge cross-research platforms, while calling for buildinggeneral and special research facilities for frontier fields such asinformation, life sciences and new materials.

It encourages research institutes engaged in basic, cutting-edge andpublic welfare research in Guangming Science City to explore a moreflexible budget management system.

Of particular note, in order to ensure an efficient flow ofinnovation factors, the regulation requires implementing convenientcustoms clearance policies in the import and export of instruments usedfor research, teaching, calibration and testing.

Guangming Science City will also explore a more active, open andeffective talent policy, and implement a demand-based talent exchangeprogram. Researchers there will enjoy greater freedom in allocatingtheir funds and choosing the research routes of technology, according tothe regulation.

The new regulation has created a stable environment for researchers,and boosted confidence in doing research, said Tu Huan, deputy directorof Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, noting that some improvements in scientificand technological innovation, intellectual property rights, andcommercialization of research results have been made in the regulation,which is very beneficial to research institutes.