sweden’s offices of science and innovation swedish science ......first global innovation index was...

Beijing

Visit us at:

Embassy of Sweden

3 Dongzhimenwai Dajie

Beijing 100600, P.R. China

Tel: +86 10 85311880

www.swedenabroad.com/Beijing

Follow our blog at https://sweden-science-innovation.blog/city/beijing/

Sweden’s Offices of Science and Innovation Swedish Science and Innovation Diplomacy

Office of Science and InnovationBeijing

02 Office of Science and InnovationBeijing

03

Our offices, our mission and objectives…

The ability to build international relations and trust over time is crucial for Sweden’s future competitiveness and Sweden’s strong brand as an innovation leader. The Government of Sweden have posted Counsellors responsible for Innovation and Science at the Swedish embassies in 6 countries, which are leading and emerging innovation hotspots.

These Offices of Science and Innovation are jointly funded and governed by the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Infrastructure, in close cooperation with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Operations are led and coordinated by a secretariat in the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.

The Innovation and Science Counsellors’ objectives

Strengthen Sweden’s global connections to strategic science, innovation and higher education environments.

Promote Sweden as knowledge nation.

Attract international investments, skills and human capital.

Increase the international impact of Swedish science, innovation and higher education.

The Innovation and Science Counsellors’ mission

Long-term and strategic promotion of Swedish innovation, research and higher education in areas of importance for Sweden as a leading knowledge nation, with one of the world’s foremost innovation systems.

Beijing

New Delhi

TokyoWashington D.C

Brasilia

Seoul

Stockholm



05

Highlights:

Innovation performance is increasingly multidimensional – depending not only on financial and human-capital inputs, but also on market and institutional conditions.

Sweden was ranked no. 12 and China ranked no. 29 when the first Global Innovation Index was launched in 2007. 1 In the latest ranking from 2019, Sweden was no. 2 and China was 14.

Hotspots in the global innovation landscape and China’s emerging strengths…

Brazil

India

Korea

US

Japan

Sweden

China

Brazil

India

Korea

US

Japan

Sweden

China

Brazil

India

Korea

US

Japan

Sweden

China

Brazil

India

Korea

US

Sweden

China

Japan

Brazil

India

Korea

USJapan

Sweden

China

Brazil

India

Korea

US

Japan

Sweden

China

Brazil

India

Korea

US

Japan

Sweden

China

1 For more information, see e.g. https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/userfiles/file/GII-2007-Report.pdf.

Source: The Global Innovation Index 2019.

Business MaturityInfrastructure Market MaturityInstitutions Human Capital & Research Knowledge & Technology Output Creative Output

As a leading knowledge and innovation nation for decades, Sweden’s competitiveness has been built on its Business Sophistication, Infrastructure and Knowledge and Technology Outputs.

China’s most significant advancement has taken place in Knowledge & Technology Output and Creative Output – implying that science and innovation is an important support for developing China’s competitiveness.

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

00



07

Circular and carbon-neutral urban transformation and urban living.

Smart production, smart business and smart consumption as combined drivers for sustainability.

Global AI-Race and China’s All-in-AI.

5G-empowered digital transformation for better life and better society.…

International dimensions of Sweden’s research and innovation policy initiatives.

Global relevance and outreach of Sweden’s research and innovation programs for competitiveness and sustainability.

China’s research- and innovation-driven transformation for high-quality growth and sustainability.

China’s strategies and policies related to research, innovation and higher educa-tion.…

Our monitoring framework at the Office of Science and Innovation Beijing

Market and technology trends— with strategic relevance for Sweden

-China co-innovation and co-creation Strategic trends and policy initiatives— from a comparative perspective

Identify cooperation

potentials to tackle common and global

challenges

Highlight Sweden’s and

China’s comparative strengths and best practices

Illustrate Sweden’s and

China’s strategic policy trends and

measures

Sweden aims to be one of the world’s first fossil-free welfare states and a world leading knowledge and innovation economy.

Sweden’s Innovation Partnership Programmes – for competitiveness and sustainability：

Climate transformation of business sector Digital transformation of business sector Life science Life-long learning and competence development

Research, Innovation and Sustainability – Sweden’s ambition and co-creation to deal with global challenges



09

Our strategic promotion in 2019 - A retrospect

High-level dialogues on research, innovation and enviornment policies

Fact-finding missions at top univeristies and companies together with Swedish delegations in China

Exchange and cooperation with European & Nordic colleagues

High-level visits from China to Sweden

Strategic networking between best Chinese and Swedish science parks

Annual updates from key actors and partners in the Swedish research and innovation eco-systems

Regular exhanges with Chinese research and innovation funding agencies and cooperation partners



11

Highlights:

China’s total R&D expenditure has become the second largest in the World, just behind the US. China’s R&D-intensity reached 2,19% in 2018, which exceeded the average level of the EU 28.2 But the R&D investments in basic research remain low in an international comparison.

Focus areas of our China watch 2020 – 2022: China as an emerging knowledge- and innovation powerhouse

2 R&D intensity = Gross domestic expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) as a percentage of GDP. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of China.

The share of basic research in total R&D expenditure – an international comparison

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) as a percentage of GDP

Source: China Statistical Yearbook on Science and Technology 2018.

BasicResearch (%)

UK

US

France

Japan

China

17

17

24

12

5

43

20

38

20

11

40

63

38

68

84

Applied Research (%)

Experiment & Development (%)

The large R&D investments have already contributed to significant quality improvement – measured by top citated patents and scientific publications.

To further put an emphasis on the quality, rather than the quantity of knowledge production, China is on the way to reform and modernise the incentive and evaluation systems in the higher education sector and research institutes. The number of publications has been removed or significantly downplayed as a performance indicator for researchers.

An increasingly clear trend is that the top-level universities and research institutes in China strive to combine breakthroughs in basic research with innovations in cutting-edge and emerging technologies, targeting practical and real-life societal challenges.

1% cited patents and scientific publicationsby top economies and regions

scientific publicationsPatents

Source: World Intellectual Property Report 2019, WIPO, 2020.

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) as a percentage of GDP2005 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Sweden 3.38 3.27 3.11 3.23 3.25 3.37 3.31United States 2.52 2.71 2.72 2.72 2.76 2.81 2.83EU28 (OECD estimates) 1.66 1.92 1.94 1.95 1.94 1.98 2.03OECD-Total 2.14 2.32 2.34 2.33 2.33 2.37 2.4China 1.31 2 2.03 2.07 2.12 2.15 2.19Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

2005 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018


Sweden United States EU28 (OECD estimates) OECD-Total China



13

Biomed & AdvancedDevices

Supporting measures and implementation instruments

Science parks, incubators and co-working spaces (enhanced) New Engineering Sciences (new)

University IPR Information Service Centres (new)Collaborative Innovation Centers (new)

Frontiers Science Centers (new)

Deeper integration of basic research and innovation and the development of a new generation of innovation-oriented research universities to stimulate original ideas and innovations (from 0 to 1) and to contribute to high-quality growth will be a strategic policy focus.

Source: Office of Science and Innovation, Beijing.

Strategic reforms to improve innovation system & innovation capacity

Innovation &

Entreprenuership Education Reform

Highlights:

The digital economy has already become a new driver for China’s economic transformation and growth. Digital technologies and innovations have become a new source for China’s knowledge creation and competitiveness.

However, the digital skill gaps, both now and in the future, remain a challenge.

Focus areas of our China watch 2020 – 2022: Digital and intelligent China

Structrual measuresLeadershipAutonomy IncentivesMobility

Multidisciplinary Research

&Mission-driven

Innovation

Source: Rising innovation in China, Deloitte China, 2019.

Number of patent families for 20 identified Al application fields

Expected talent gaps in China’s key innovation-driven sectors in 2025

Big data Energy saving & NEV

Next generation

ICT

Tale

nt g

aps

in r

elat

ed in

dust

ries

(10,

000

peop

le)

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0

1000

800

600

400

200

0

US China US China US China US China

Telecommunication

US China

Transportation Security

Source: WIPO Technology Trends 2018 Artificial Intelligence, WIPO, 2020.

Life & Medical Sciences

Industry & Manufacturing

Numerical control machine

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) as a percentage of GDP2005 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Sweden 3.38 3.27 3.11 3.23 3.25 3.37 3.31United States 2.52 2.71 2.72 2.72 2.76 2.81 2.83EU28 (OECD estimates) 1.66 1.92 1.94 1.95 1.94 1.98 2.03OECD-Total 2.14 2.32 2.34 2.33 2.33 2.37 2.4China 1.31 2 2.03 2.07 2.12 2.15 2.19Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

2005 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018


Sweden United States EU28 (OECD estimates) OECD-Total China



15

China launched the ambitious and comprehensive policy roadmap for its digital transformation in 2006. In a “post-COVID 19 era”, China’s digital transformation will be further accelerated and deepened, having the Cloud - Big Data - AI-driven New Economy3 and the New Infrastructure Development4 as new thinking and new approach.

3 Cloud- Big Data- AI-driven New Economy Implementation Strategy. Policy document issued by National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), 2020. (in Chinese).

4 New Infrastructure Development, 2020. Policy document issued by National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), 2020.

Big Data &

Cloud

Jan. 2015 Cloud Computing Innovation

Promotion Guidelines

May 2015Manufactured in

China 2025

Aug. 2015 Big Data Development

Action Plan

Jan. 2017 Big Data & Industrial Applications

Development Plan

Smart Industry

Nov. 2017 IoT+ for Manufacturing

Guidelines

May. 2018 Industrial IoT Development

Action Plan

AIApril 2016IoT + AI

Action Plan

June 2017 New Generation AI Development Plan

Dec. 2017 New Generation AI

Industrial Development Plan

5GDec. 2016

ICT Industries Development Plan

Nov. 2017 IPv6 Implementation

& Scaling-up Plan

Nov. 2019 5G + Industrial IoT

Promotion Plan

2015National

“Internet +” Action Guidelines

2016 13th Five-Year-Plan

•Science, Technology & Innovation Plan•Strategic &Emerging Industries Plan

•Informatisation Plan

2016National

Informatisation Development Strategy

(Updated)

2020Post-COVIOD19

Digital Transformation (In progress)

Information Network

Transmission

Supply

UHV

New energy vehicle charging

Transportation Network

Power Network

AI

5G

Big data Centre

Industrial IoT

High-speed city-to-city transit

New Infrastructure

5 The China Datasphere: Primed to be the largest datasphere by 2025. IDC, 2019.6 China’s “Data Strategy”: Data as a new production factor. Policy document issued by the State Council, 2020 (in Chinese).

Security &

Privacy Protection

Data Asset Status

& Ownership

Openness &

Sharing

Institutional Set-up

& Regulatory Mechanism

Big Data Governance Structure

China will account for 28% of the data generated globally in 2025 and data are already an important source for business- and wealth generation in China.5 The on-going development of China’s “Big-Data Governance Structure” 6 is a vital process to enhance value-creation as well as to safeguard data security and privacy protection.

StandardLaw

& Regulation

Application

Science &

Innovation

Source: Global Footprint Network.

Source: IEA.



17

Informa�sa�onAutoma�on

Digitaliza�onProcess Op�miza�on

Digital Transforma�onTo B + To C + To G

The digital and intelligent China is moving towards a new phase, i.e. from catch-up with informatisation and digitalisation to leapfrog digital transformation, supported by a dynamic market development and enhanced research and innovation capacity. In this process, China will need both“Tech-for-Growth” and “Tech-for Good”.

Focus areas of our China watch 2020 – 2022: Sustainable and healthy China

China’s environment- and climate challenges ahead will be more complex, requiring clean energy transition, carbon-efficiency and resource-efficiency improvements, through integrated efforts on both production- and consumption sides.

China’s CO2 emissions per capita have exceeded the level of the average of EU-28 in the past years. At the same time, China’s renewable energy development has been remarkable.

China’s CO2 emissions per capita have exceeded the level of the average of EU-28 in the past years. At the same time, China’s renewable energy development has been remarkable.

Humanity has been in ecological overshoot with demand on resources exceeding what the Earth can regenerate. Reducing ecological footprints and restoring biocapacity are our vital and common tasks.

Number of Earths we need – Sweden and ChinaPer capita emission (kg per capita) by sector in 2017

Electricity generation (GWh) from renewables in China

8000

6000

4000

2000

0

Data Electricity generation (GWh) from Renewables in China

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004Total renewables 222,955 278,132 288,813 284,694 354,852Solar energy 37 43 68 81 94Wind energy 615 749 873 1,039 1,332Bioenergy 2,421 2,438 2,430 2,422 2,414Hydropower 219,782 274,802 285,342 281,052 350,912

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Total renewables Solar energy Wind energy Bioenergy Hydropower

0500,000

1,000,0001,500,0002,000,000

Electricity generation (GWh) from Renewables in China

Electricity & HeatFuel combustion Manufucturing & Construction

Transport

Sweden China European Union - 28

Ecological footprints shown asnumber of Earths neededSweden and China

1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966Number of earths - Sweden 2.4 2.42 2.41 2.63 2.82 2.82Baseline - biocapacity 1 1 1 1 1 1Number of earths - China 0.3 0.29 0.3 0.31 0.32 0.34

0

1

2

3

4

5

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

Number of earths - Sweden Baseline - biocapacity

Number of earths - China



19

Who are we?

The Embassy of Sweden in Beijing employs around 60 staff in an organisation divided into five teams. Science and Innovation is a part of the Team Transition, Growth and Trade. Science and Innovation promotes cooperation in innovation, research and higher education as well as Sweden as an attractive knowledge nation and is also responsible for environment and climate issues.

We are a team of four, with professional backgrounds and hands-on working experience in the fields of research and innovation policies, innovation- and sustainability-driven economic transformation, plus electric engineering, computer science and environment- and climate related policy issues.

For more information, please contact:Dr. Nannan Lundin

Counsellor Science and Innovation & Head of Office of Science and Innovation, Beijing [email protected]

Source: OECD.

Source: OECD.

Welfare cost of premature deaths, % GDP equivalent exposure to ambient particulate matter

Environmentally related taxes (2015) Number of patents in climate change mitigation (2016)

Environmental pollution and ecological degradation are economic and social losses for the society. Sweden has managed to reduce, e.g. the health-related loss while China is still seeing an increasing trend. For China, environmental protection and climate actions are now key elements of high-quality economic transformation and welfare improvement.

Environmental policies, not least economic policy measures and research and innovation will be crucial for a successful sustainable transformation. Sweden has significant experience to share and China is stepping up its efforts in both areas. To enhance and diversify environmental policy mix as well as to co-create in environment- and climate innovations will be the common interests and joint efforts of Sweden and China.

Sweden

EU-28

China

4

5,4

3,4

3.3

4,7

5,3

1.8

3,8

6,4

Compared to GDP, %

As a share of total tax revenue, %

Per capita, USD

0,7

2,9

90,9

2,2

5,1

984,7

2,5

6,9

871,3

China Sweden OECD Europe

Source: OECD.

Total number

ICT-related

Building-related

2319

538

402

259

42

24

6230

259

742

China Sweden EU-28

Data Electricity generation (GWh) from Renewables in China

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004Total renewables 222,955 278,132 288,813 284,694 354,852Solar energy 37 43 68 81 94Wind energy 615 749 873 1,039 1,332Bioenergy 2,421 2,438 2,430 2,422 2,414Hydropower 219,782 274,802 285,342 281,052 350,912

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Total renewables Solar energy Wind energy Bioenergy Hydropower

0500,000

1,000,0001,500,0002,000,000

Electricity generation (GWh) from Renewables in China

Ecological footprints shown asnumber of Earths neededSweden and China

1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966Number of earths - Sweden 2.4 2.42 2.41 2.63 2.82 2.82Baseline - biocapacity 1 1 1 1 1 1Number of earths - China 0.3 0.29 0.3 0.31 0.32 0.34

0

1

2

3

4

5

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

Number of earths - Sweden Baseline - biocapacity

Number of earths - China

1990 2000 2017

sweden’s offices of science and innovation swedish science ......first global innovation index was...

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