Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, has taken a decisive step to accelerate its transformation into an innovation-driven economy. On August 25, the city convened a conference focused on deepening the integration of technological and industrial innovation. During this event, officials officially released the 'Measures for Advancing Deep Integration of Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation,' a set of 20 policy measures designed to place economic and social development firmly on an innovation-driven path. The overarching goal is to position Hohhot as a significant growth pole for high-quality development in northern China.
The conference underscored a clear resolve: 'The less developed a region is, the more it needs to pursue an innovation-driven development strategy.' This sentiment reflects the city's determination to leverage its existing strengths and overcome challenges through innovation. Hohhot is already home to several notable achievements. The National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre has reduced dairy-cattle breeding evaluation from four years to 45 days and developed China's first probiotic strain for infants and young children derived from Chinese breast milk. This progress supports Hohhot's ambition to evolve from the 'Dairy Capital of China' into a global dairy hub.
In the Horinger New District, a major scientific facility for aerospace, sky-to-ground, and cross-scale metrology is under construction, benchmarked against international standards. Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region's first new-energy industrial large model, which is open to the world. Additionally, a domestic enterprise, the only one capable of consistently producing 4N5 high-purity germanium products, is helping to overcome critical raw-material bottlenecks for quantum technology and calcium-titanium mineral photovoltaics. These examples illustrate how technological and industrial innovation are converging in Hohhot, reinforcing one another to drive progress.
To back these ambitions, Hohhot has made tangible financial commitments. Municipal fiscal investment in science and technology will double in 2026 and again in 2027. Newly recognized national-level innovation platforms will receive a one-off research grant of RMB 3 million, and each 'Qingcheng Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent' may receive up to RMB 500,000 in research support. By 2030, the city aims to attract an additional 10 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 50 high-level innovation teams. Furthermore, the city will provide inclusive computing-power vouchers, model vouchers, and token vouchers to technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises, implementing a policy approach that allows beneficiaries to receive support without complex application procedures.
Openness is a defining characteristic of Hohhot's innovation strategy. Leveraging the Hohhot Area of the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the city is building an international science and technology cooperation base with countries along the Belt and Road. It is also deepening coordination with Beijing's Haidian District through a 'two-hour innovation circle,' exploring a pathway where research and development occur elsewhere while results are transformed and applied in Hohhot. This approach underscores the city's understanding that innovation cannot thrive in isolation.
Hohhot's character, often compared to the resilience and determination of the Mongolian horse, blends the inclusiveness of the grasslands with a pioneering spirit to explore new frontiers. From the 'Dairy Capital of China' to the 'Cloud Valley,' and from the pastures of Chilechuan to the computing-power clusters of Horinger, the city is evolving into a hub of innovation. Hohhot extends an invitation to the world, offering supportive policies, real-world application scenarios, and a genuine commitment to partnership.
