The 6th NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) concluded flawlessly on September 29th. The conference was jointly hosted by the NEXT Federation, China Economic Information Service, and Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
The NEXT Summit, held since 2017, has now completed its sixth year. With the theme of “Global Change and Rebuilding Collaboration,” the conference aimed to advocate for reintegration amidst significant changes, enhance international understanding and confidence in promoting global innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, and explore project opportunities and strategic prospects in international collaboration.
The main forum of the conference included the opening ceremony, keynote speeches, global project roadshows, and the prestigious “Hurricane Lamp” awards ceremony. Additionally, eight specialized forums were held online, addressing topics such as innovation in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, the transformation of Industry 4.0 and manufacturing, agricultural technology and sustainable development, emerging trends in infrastructure construction, digital economy and industrial digitization, the rise of renewable and new energy industries, public relations and market insights amid the pandemic, and Indonesian investments. Distinguished guests from more than ten countries and regions, including China, Indonesia, New Zealand, the United States, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, Egypt, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Malaysia, delivered cutting-edge speeches and shared case studies in their respective fields, while also presenting insights into the latest developments in key industries and exploring the direction of international cooperation.
Call for Strengthening International Cooperation
During the conference, Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun, Head of Bali Tourism Office, Indonesia, expressed the hope that countries worldwide could closely collaborate to promote economic recovery amidst the global upheaval.
“In response to the global pandemic challenges, countries around the world are seeking solutions,” stated Tony Browne, former New Zealand Ambassador to China and Chairman of the Council of the NEXT Federation. He emphasized the need for collaboration and continuous innovation among nations to devise specific solutions, mitigate the various impacts caused by the pandemic, and further advance communities, governments, and scientific research.
Hammam Riza, Rotating Chairman of the Global Advisory Committee of the NEXT Federation and Principal Engineer of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, regarded the conference’s theme, “Global Change and Rebuilding Collaboration,” as a highly significant topic. He believed it would promote the development of the global industrial chain, deepen international understanding, and foster global innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
Made Dana Tangkas, Executive Chairman of Indonesia RDI, also stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation in the current era, with new opportunities emerging. He emphasized the need for strengthened international collaboration to create a brighter future and facilitate better development for all countries.
“This event is beneficial in helping Bali further recover its local economy,” said Made Gunaja, Head of Bali Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia. He mentioned that the conference provided new perspectives for the economic development of various countries through intellectual collisions among participants.
Laksana Tri Handoko, Minister of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, representing the co-organizing institution, highlighted how the global COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the economic landscape. In the face of the pandemic, geopolitical crises, and food shortages, countries need to seize opportunities to come together and plan for development, particularly in the realms of sustainable development and innovation, actively seeking cooperation opportunities.
Guo Shuanxin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Shaanxi Xifeng Liquor Group Co., Ltd., expressed the desire to promote the spirit of “open cooperation” among global economies through the successful organization of the 6th NEXT Summit. By promoting reintegration, it aims to facilitate significant transformations and achieve sustainable development for human society. Adhering to the values and methodologies of “harmonious coexistence,” the conference aimed to advance resource integration as its mission and foster global innovation, cooperation, and development, once again contributing to the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and economic crises are temporary, but the complexity of global politics and economic development is long-term,” expressed Jenny Shipley, former Prime Minister of New Zealand. She emphasized the need to contemplate how to drive economic development and maximize benefits. The benefits of over 20 years of economic globalization are evident, and although the development landscape is constantly changing, it is crucial to actively seek solutions, enhance international cooperation, uphold sustainable development, and prioritize a people-centric approach.
David Saganelidze, Chairman of the Partnership Fund of Georgia, stated that the global economy has experienced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasizing the need for all parties to prioritize cooperation, actively attract global investment, and promote local economic recovery.
Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, Deputy Governor of Bali, Indonesia, highlighted the significance of the conference’s topics for the development of Bali. He mentioned that Bali is strengthening infrastructure construction, focusing on local industrialization, and enhancing the upstream and downstream industrial chain. He expressed hopes for increased cooperation with domestic and international partners in the future.
Dadan Kusdiana, Director General of New Energy, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation at Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, emphasized that in the face of the current global adjustment of industrial chains and patterns, strengthening industrial cooperation, particularly in the energy and mineral resources sectors, is vital to enhancing the resilience and vitality of global economic and industrial development.
Facing Crisis Challenges Together
Former Prime Minister of Egypt and the Rotating President of NEXT Federation, His Excellency Essam Sharaf, stated that from the demand side, we need a more peaceful economic environment to achieve global community development, mutual trust, and collaborative growth. Collaboration, trust, and development are the three pillars of the global development community.
“No country can tackle all crises alone; countries need to establish trust and maintain connectivity.” How can we build trust and gradually transform international relations into cultural relations? His Excellency Essam Sharaf believes that it is necessary to establish both hard and soft connections. Hard connections primarily refer to infrastructure development, including transportation, energy, remote communication, water, and sanitation. Soft connections refer to the mutual links between policies, facilities, trade, finance, and humanities.
Jing Ruyue, Secretary-General of Xinhua News Agency, stated in his remarks in “Red Xifeng” keynote speech that China and Indonesia should work together, demonstrate the responsibilities of developing countries, practice genuine multilateralism, uphold open regionalism, provide Eastern wisdom for global governance, contribute Asian strength, accelerate cooperation in the “Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor” and “Twin Parks of the Two Countries,” continuously expand the scale of economic and trade investment, and promote deep integration of industrial chains and supply chains.
Jing Ruyue believes that under the theme of “Global Change and Rebuilding Collaboration,” the purpose is to bring together the efforts of all parties to collectively face opportunities and challenges in the current context of the recurring delays in the COVID-19 pandemic, profound adjustments in global industrial chains and international trade patterns, and seek peace, development, and enhanced cooperation.
Saleem Mandviwala, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Development Planning in Pakistan and former Deputy Chairman of the Senate, expressed during the meeting that the development of the world economy still faces many challenges. This year, the Asia-Pacific region has experienced security issues and resource shortages, which have also impacted economic development. These challenges require policy support to reduce visible disasters.
Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, President of Antara News Agency in Indonesia, stated that in the past two and a half years, the world economy has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the future, under new era conditions, it is important to focus on how to promote cooperation and effective communication.
Taufik Hanafi from the Ministry of National Development Planning of Indonesia also expressed that many countries are facing difficult challenges after the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic development requires more resilience and adaptability, thus necessitating strengthened international cooperation to collectively address these issues.
Omer Kouassi Kokou-Tchri, Founder of the Africa Sustainable Development Committee and Vice Chairman of the Global Advisory Committee of the NEXT Federation, stated that in the post-pandemic era, we need to address the profound changes occurring in the field of technology and healthcare. At the same time, the lifestyles and working methods of the younger generation are also changing, and we need to adapt to these emerging changes. Businesses need to make greater efforts in sustainable development.
Dong Xuebing, Deputy Director of the Regional Coordinated Development Research Center at Zhejiang University and Executive Deputy Dean of the China Western Development Institute at Zhejiang University, stated that during this critical stage of the deepening COVID-19 pandemic, global economic transformation, and profound adjustments in international power dynamics, it is essential to promote the deep integration of digital technology and the real economy, accelerate digital transformation. This not only fosters the development of new drivers and stimulates new competitive advantages but also becomes a significant force in restructuring global factors and promoting global economic recovery. It serves as an important window for promoting global economic trust, cooperation, and mutual benefit.
Sharing Multiple Research Achievements and Intelligent Practices
In his keynote speech, academician Jia Yinsuo of the African Academy of Sciences elaborated on the development of the agricultural industry through the introduction of corn seed resources. He emphasized that planting density is the primary obstacle to increasing corn production in China, with bottlenecks such as plant height, tolerance to high density (tolerance to weak light), and leaf type limiting planting density. Therefore, the urgent task is to develop new materials for corn with short stems, high tolerance to density, resistance to adversity, reasonable leaf type, and high yield.
The summit also released the “China-Indonesia Economic and Trade Cooperation Outlook 2022” report and conducted a global roadshow for international projects. Among them were projects such as the “Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway,” “Improving Indoor Environmental Quality Post-Pandemic: Sterilization Resonance Light Technology,” “Muslim Halal Food Data Technology,” and “E2V and G2V – Interaction between Electric Vehicles and the Power Grid.” These projects shared the latest technological research achievements and effective intelligent practices from around the world.
Gan Feng, Deputy General Manager of the Silk Road Division of China Economic Information Service, stated that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia has maintained strong momentum since its establishment in 2013. In recent years, facing the centennial changes and the pandemic, the two countries have built a new pattern of bilateral relations driven by politics, economy, culture, and maritime cooperation. This has greatly promoted the expansion and enhancement of bilateral trade and investment.
Shao Gang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Head of International Business of No. 4 China Railway Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., introduced the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project. He emphasized that the project has received high attention from the governments of China and Indonesia and is a significant project coordinated and promoted by the two governments. From a political perspective, the project is the “first” for China’s high-speed rail system, encompassing the entire system, all elements, and the entire industrial chain going global. It is also a flagship project for the strategic alignment and practical cooperation between China and Indonesia in the new era, and it serves as a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative. From an economic perspective, the construction and operation of the project will directly, indirectly, and inductively contribute to GDP growth.
Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Safawi bin Mohammad Zain proposed at the summit the use of LED sterilization lamps to eliminate viruses during the pandemic. He suggested further research in this area to extend the elimination of other viruses, which would contribute to human safety.
Haji Muhammad Amin, Chief Halal Officer of Data Technology (Asia) Ltd., focused on introducing their smart city platform. He highlighted the establishment of a data cloud-based platform specifically for the halal food market.
According to Hu Aiguo, Professor and Research Director of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, the entire power system is one of the largest systems established by humans. The utilization of electrical energy can be seen as reflecting the level of economic and social development from a certain perspective. He explained that although we have made rapid progress in energy storage and energy conservation, energy consumption will continue to increase in the future for a better quality of life. We have made significant changes in traditional power supply and made the entire power system smarter to provide better services.
The summit continued its tradition of presenting the prestigious Hurricane Lamp Award to recognize and incentivize intelligent practices in international cooperation, guiding participants of international cooperation projects to consider various relevant factors and select the best path to achieve true, sustainable, and comprehensive success.
Regarding the Hurricane Lamp Award, Dr. Jae Hoon Yu, Vice President of the NEXT Federation and former Assistant President and Controller of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), stated that the purpose of the award is to promote outstanding performance by enterprises and institutions, foster international cooperation, and facilitate industrial development. He believes that the three major themes of the NEXT Summit – global innovation, cooperation, and sustainability – are particularly significant in the post-pandemic era. He asserts that the new geopolitical situation will not hinder the achievement of our goals but, on the contrary, will help us stand taller, see farther, and think more diligently about how to achieve these goals, using concrete actions and tangible results to demonstrate our commitment.
Zhao Yingxiang, Executive Chairman of the Council of NEXT Federation, and You Yuzhi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, announced the winners of the three Super Awards and five Top Awards of the Hurricane Lamp. The awards were presented to the representatives of the winners at the venue in Bali.
It is worth noting that since 2017, the NEXT Summit has been successfully held for six consecutive years in Auckland (2017), Hangzhou (2018), Dubai (2019), online (2020), Singapore (2021), and Bali (2022). Distinguished figures such as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, then Deputy Secretary-General Liu Zhenmin, eighth Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Saleem Mandviwalla, and Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, as well as other political figures, renowned scholars, and industry leaders attended the summit and delivered speeches.
The NEXT Summit has become a branded platform for international exchange and cooperation. It adheres to the GMABC’s integrated service concept and working model, coordinating and assisting in the integration of government, media, academic, business, and community resources. It provides an important communication bridge and service platform for practical cooperation, including policy communication, project promotion, technology exchange, talent exchange, and international communication for countries related to the Belt and Road Initiative.
The sixth NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) was jointly hosted by the NEXT Federation, China Economic Information Service, and the Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN). The NEXT Federation is a global platform for integrating and transforming industrial resources. Through discovering intelligent practices, sharing advantageous resources, and improving public relations, it promotes global innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. Its headquarters is located in Auckland, New Zealand. China Economic Information Service is a professional economic information service agency directly under Xinhua News Agency. It is a pilot unit for the construction of high-end think tanks in China. After more than 30 years of development, it has become one of China’s most authoritative economic information service organizations, with the widest range of services and the most comprehensive range of products. The Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN) is a permanent institution under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. It is responsible for international research, development, evaluation, and application, as well as inventions, innovations, nuclear implementation, and space-related work. The chief partner and official designated product of the summit is Hong Xifeng. As one of China’s most famous old-fashioned white spirits, it is the originator of the phoenix fragrance-type liquor. Its characteristics of “not getting drunk, not drying the throat, and pleasant aftertaste” have been praised as the “three unique qualities” and hailed as the “phoenix in liquors.”