In June 2022, President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of a technology transfer center network during the 14th BRICS Leaders’ Meeting. As a key component of this network, the BRICS Technology Transfer Center in Kunming, Yunnan, has been continuously improving its mechanisms to deepen technological exchanges among BRICS nations, yielding fruitful cooperation outcomes. In 2023 alone, the center signed 23 important technology cooperation projects, with a total contract value exceeding 7.2 billion yuan.
The center aims to create a platform to connect the diverse needs of various stakeholders. This was evident on August 6, during the 2024 BRICS Technology Transfer Center Cooperation Meeting, held in Kunming for the seventh consecutive year. Representatives from countries such as Russia, India, South Africa, and Iran participated both online and in-person to discuss future cooperation plans. This year’s session featured 15 outstanding technological innovations spanning areas like biomedicine, low-altitude economy, and renewable energy, attracting numerous research institutions and investment firms.
During a roundtable discussion, healthcare experts presented their research achievements, leading to multiple cooperation intentions. Vijay Mishra, Chairman of the India-China Technology Transfer Center, emphasized, “The advancement of technology is vital for enhancing public health and well-being. We are pleased to collaborate with China and other BRICS nations to achieve progress in medical technology.”
Launched officially in 2018, the BRICS Technology Transfer Center serves as the first official cooperation mechanism for technology transfer among BRICS countries. Since its inception, the center has focused on facilitating international technology transfer and conducting technology trade fairs, promoting coordinated cooperation across various technological fields and industries.
The discussions at the meeting raised multiple collaboration inquiries: “Can we strengthen cooperation to better translate our leading medical technologies?” and “Could we increase technical exchanges to boost import and export cooperation in biopharmaceuticals?” In response, the center signed memorandums of understanding with ten entities, including South Africa’s Index Technology Company, to establish more collaborative channels in healthcare technology transfer.
Zhou Xiaojian, Vice Dean of the Materials and Chemical Engineering School at Southwest Forestry University, expressed optimism about future collaborations, noting the ongoing demand for composite materials in construction and furniture. He stated, “Under the increasingly close cooperation among BRICS countries, there is significant room for international collaboration on the synthesis and processing technologies of composite materials developed by our school.”
To facilitate this collaboration, the BRICS Technology Transfer Center launched its offline service hub in April, designed to provide one-stop technology transfer and results conversion services for BRICS nations. This hub integrates various elements necessary for technology transfer and offers comprehensive technical services, consulting, and data support to governments, research institutions, businesses, and individuals.
In parallel, the online platform of the BRICS Technology Transfer Center has been optimized, supporting 17 languages and enabling automatic translation and real-time interaction. It features nine categories, including project aggregation and competitive trading, ensuring transparency and ease of collaboration. To date, the platform has accumulated nearly 100,000 research achievements and over 50,000 technical demands.
Zhu Yan, Deputy Director of the Kunming Science and Technology Bureau, highlighted the center’s role in consolidating scientific and technological resources among BRICS nations and injecting new energy into international cooperation and exchange.
Researcher Paulo Robeiro from Brazil’s BRICS Policy Research Center remarked that the establishment of the technology transfer center enhances the value of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, and he is optimistic about its future.
In terms of translating technological outcomes into practical applications, examples can be found in the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail, where equipment from China Railway Construction High-tech Equipment Co., Ltd. is operational in diverse climatic and topographical conditions. Liu Yanan, Deputy Director of the Railway Maintenance Equipment Research Institute at CRCC, stated, “With the platform provided by the BRICS Technology Transfer Center, our large maintenance machinery is able to ‘go global’ more smoothly.”
In recent years, the center has signed cooperation memorandums with multiple national technology transfer organizations to build transfer channels and promote complementary advantages among BRICS nations. Currently, it has established collaboration mechanisms with 35 official technology transfer institutions across seven countries, promoting a plethora of international projects in fields such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine, new materials, renewable energy, and the digital economy.
Alexei Filimonov, Director of the Russian Federation Technology Transfer Association, highlighted the significant role of the BRICS Technology Transfer Center in enhancing communication and collaboration among countries, viewing it as a vital force in global technology governance and international innovation cooperation. He expressed hopes for more collaborative opportunities leading to mutually beneficial outcomes for BRICS countries.
