From September 9 to 12, the 2026 China-CEEC Innovation Cooperation Conference held a series of events in Ningbo, Nanjing and Zhenjiang under the theme “A Decade of Innovation: Building the Future Together.” The conference was co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Slovakia’s Ministry of Economy. Zou Xiaobo, President of Jiangsu University (JSU), attended the events and presented the university’s achievements at the plenary session of the opening ceremony. Marko Gutalj, Vice-Rector of the University of East Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Special Representative of the foreign Director of the China-Bosnia and Herzegovina “Belt and Road” Joint Laboratory for Smart Agriculture Technology and Equipment, took part throughout, accompanied by Cui Yong, Director of International Office.

Li Hongbo, Secretary of the CPC JSU Committee, met on campus with Bojan Radović, Assistant Minister of Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, and with CEEC experts including Emmanuel E. Gdoutos, a member of Academia Europaea, and Maria Konsta. Li introduced the university’s history and its record in international exchange, and said JSU would continue to pursue open education and work with CEEC partners to develop the Joint Laboratory into a high-level platform for international cooperation in science and technology that integrates research and development with demonstration and application, while deepening people-to-people and cultural exchanges through scientific cooperation.

Zou Xiaobo signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of JSU with Jiangsu Huayuan Water-Saving Co., Ltd. and the University of East Sarajevo to advance international industry-university-research cooperation and technology transfer under the Joint Laboratory.

The Zhenjiang session of the conference’s “Jiangsu Tour” was jointly organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Center for International Science and Technology Exchange, the Zhenjiang Municipal Science and Technology Bureau and JSU. Chen Feng, Vice President of JSU, addressed the event. He said JSU would build on its strengths in agricultural engineering and use the Joint Laboratory as a pivot to deepen cooperation with CEEC countries in research, talent development and technology transfer, and to promote the two-way application of smart agriculture technologies in the region.

Marko Gutalj said agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and other CEEC countries is at a critical stage of transformation and upgrading, with urgent demand for modern, intelligent agricultural technology and equipment. He praised JSU’s role in advancing agricultural science and technology cooperation between China and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and said he looked forward to further joint technological breakthroughs and sharing of results in smart agriculture through the Joint Laboratory.

The Joint Laboratory, co-established and headed by JSU and the University of East Sarajevo, was selected as a model case of the conference and presented in a dedicated session during the plenary meeting. CEEC experts attending the conference heard JSU’s account of the cooperation and visited the Joint Laboratory and the School of Intelligent Science and Engineering.

(Source: International Office; “Belt and Road” Joint Laboratory on Smart Agriculture Technology and Equipment)