From April 25 to 29, 2024 ZGC Forum was held for the first time at its newly constructed permanent venue. Themed on “Innovating for a Better World”, the 2024 ZGC Forum featured five main sections: forum sessions, technology exchanges, achievements presentations, frontier competitions, and side events, totaling nearly 120 events. The Global Digital Application Innovation Forum (referred to as this forum), a significant component of the 2024 ZGC Forum, was co-hosted by the Zhongguancun Digital Economic Industry Alliance, the World Academy of Productivity Sciences (WAPS), and the ChinaEU. UCI was invited to attend this forum.

This forum released the 2024 National Enterprise Digital Application Innovation Case Study Report, aiming to showcase exemplary practices and experiences in digital application innovation to establish a group of model enterprises. UCI’s “BAS Application Based on Open Automation Systems” was selected as one of the top ten cases in national enterprise digital application innovation for 2024.

UCI’s BAS application based on new open automation systems utilizes cloud computing, big data, IoT, and digital twin technologies to manage, monitor and control devices and systems within buildings, in a bid to enhance energy efficiency, comfort and safety in buildings. Pioneering the BAS system with the “open automation concept + cloud computing + big data + IoT + digital twin”, it establishes a new engine of growth in the pan-construction industry. The system achieves software and hardware decoupling, compatibility with equipment and software from different suppliers, and integration of various intelligent systems, thus solving the issue of system isolation. Through innovative solutions, it provides customers with more choices, improves design and development efficiency, enhances operational efficiency, reduces construction costs, and demonstrates significant market potential and customer value.

At the conference, Luo Hui, member of the Party Leadership Group and Director of International Cooperation Department of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), and Gan Xiaobin, Deputy Director-General of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), made speeches on behalf of Zhongguancun Digital Economic Industry Alliance (ZDEA), the advisor of this forum. Jiang Fan, Rotating President of ZDEA and Chairman of Beijing Energy Holding Co., Ltd., and Luigi Gambardella, Chairman of the ChinaEU, addressed the conference representing the hosts of this forum. Chen Haibo, General Manager of China Unicom Beijing Branch, spoke on behalf of the strategic partner of this forum. Keynote speakers also included Jiang Zelin, former Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council and Chairman of the 12th Jilin Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC); Wu Hequan, advisor of ZDEA and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Thomas Tutle, academician of the World Academy of Productivity Sciences (WAPS) and former president; Zhang Dongya, Rotating President of ZDEA and General Manager of Huawei Beijing; Zhang Jianli, President of Beijing Enterprise Confederation; Li Jinsong, Vice President of TravelSky Technology Limited; He Xiaodong, Vice President of JD.com; Wang Yongliang, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Energy Holding Co., Ltd.; and Zhang Hui, Secretary of the general Party branch committee and Chairman of UCI, among other executives of enterprises engaged in digital application innovation.

With the theme “Openness and Integration: Practicing the Digital Transformation of Urban Rail Transit”, Zhang Hui delivered an insightful presentation at the conference, offering a comprehensive overview of the development and future challenges facing the urban rail transit industry. He emphasized that inadequate openness and integration are key obstacles hindering the industry’s high-quality development. Addressing this issue, he proposed pathways to the digital transformation of urban rail transit.

Zhang Hui advocates for the principle of “openness before integration”, using this as the cornerstone to build a robust integration foundation. He emphasized the need to achieve horizontal data interoperability on this foundation, seamlessly connecting data between systems, lines and transportation systems. Also, he stressed the importance of vertical data integration, ensuring deep integration of IT and OT data to achieve comprehensive data interoperability. This framework will foster an ecosystem that is open, data-driven, flexible in processes, agile in collaboration, and flat in organization, evolving organically.

At the end of his speech, Zhang Hui conveyed UCI’s attitude and initiative of “converging with data, advancing with innovation” to the attendees: “We firmly believe that openness will eliminate all barriers, and integration will gather boundless power. UCI looks forward to collaborating with all parties and using data as a bridge to collectively stride towards a bright new future.”