On 13 March, a symposium on high-quality development in the life sciences and the building of cultural soft power, alongside the inauguration ceremony for the Life Sciences Committee of the Shaanxi Cultural Soft Power Research Association, was held at the Gazelle Valley in the Xi'an Entrepreneurship and R&D Park. This event marks a crucial step forward for Shaanxi in exploring a model of deep integration between 'culture and technology', whilst also providing practical insights for the innovative development of the life sciences industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Industry Scale Exceeds One Trillion Yuan, Biomanufacturing Enters a New Stage
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's life sciences and related industries achieved historic breakthroughs. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the total scale of China's biomanufacturing industry has reached 1.1 trillion yuan, with China accounting for over 70 percent of global biofermentation product output. Among these, the annual output value of the food and additives sector and the biopharmaceutical sector both exceed 400 billion yuan. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the scale of China's biopharmaceutical market continued to expand. China has become the world's second-largest market for biopharmaceuticals, with the second-highest number of drugs in development globally. Among the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies by R&D pipeline size, Chinese enterprises occupy four spots, setting a new historical record.
At the economic press conference during the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress, the National Development and Reform Commission stated clearly that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the focus will be on developing six major future industries, including bio-manufacturing. These industries are on the cusp of technological breakthroughs; today's future industries may well become tomorrow's emerging pillar industries. The draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan further lists bio-manufacturing as one of the major engineering projects leading the development of new-quality productive forces.
AI Empowerment: Life Sciences Enter a New Phase of "Data and Intelligence-Driven" Development
The 2026 Government Work Report first proposed "forging a new form of intelligent economy", explicitly calling for the deepening and expansion of the "AI+" initiative. In the field of life sciences, AI technology is driving the industry's transformation from traditional "experience-driven" and "trial-and-error-driven" approaches towards a new paradigm characterised by "data-driven" and "model-driven" methodologies.
Monitoring data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) indicates that in 2024, the scale of China's artificial intelligence industry exceeded 900 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 24 per cent. In life science applications, AI, with its powerful data mining and integration capabilities, can significantly enhance the certainty and success rate of the R&D process, whilst substantially shortening R&D cycles and reducing trial-and-error costs. Within the global next-generation AI life sciences market, the drug discovery and design sector accounts for 34% of the market share, whilst foundational models and generative AI dominate the market with a 42% share of revenue. Xu Weifeng, President of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Soft Power Research Association, delivered an opening address, and Zhao Anjun, Party Branch Secretary of the Association, read out the official letter regarding the establishment of the Life Sciences Committee.
Speeches were delivered in turn by Ma Ke from the Regional Opening-up and External Cooperation Division of the Shaanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission; Hu Yongwei, Chairman of XI'AN APP-CHEM BIO (TECH) CO., LTD.; Zhang Huaiyu, Head of the Middle East Bureau of Ifeng.com; Xu Yunfeng, Executive Director of the Guosheng Think Tank; and Shi Yongheng, Associate Professor at Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, among other attending leaders and guests. The establishment of the Life Sciences Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Soft Power Research Association is a significant initiative in response to this strategic direction. The Committee has defined three core tasks: accelerating the commercialisation of scientific and technological achievements, deepening the cultivation of high-end talent and academic exchange, and providing comprehensive services such as technical consultancy and policy interpretation, to remove bottlenecks across the entire chain from laboratory to production line.
Cultural Soft Power Empowering the Industry's Global Expansion
Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the modernisation and internationalisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine have accelerated significantly. In 2025, the General Office of the State Council issued the 'Opinions on Improving the Quality of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry', providing policy support for the deep integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and life sciences. Zhang Boli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, pointed out that the integration of artificial intelligence and TCM is an inevitable trend. TCM research must, guided by the original thinking of traditional Chinese medicine, embrace interdisciplinary convergence to open up new avenues and foster new drivers of growth. Zhang Huaiyu, head of Phoenix News' Middle East bureau, stated that TCM is currently entering a period of strategic opportunity for global expansion. With robust demand for the health industry in the Middle East, Dubai, leveraging its neutral status and hub function, has become an ideal 'new blue ocean' for Chinese enterprises venturing overseas. As a key vehicle for soft power, the media can play a unique bridging role, lowering the barriers for enterprises to access overseas resources and helping TCM and China's life science achievements to effectively tell China's story on the international stage.
Synthetic Biology: The Core Engine of Biomanufacturing
Synthetic biology is regarded as the 'third biotechnology revolution' and is a key enabling technology for the biomanufacturing industry. In 2023, the value of China's synthetic biology market stood at approximately US$1.05 billion, and is projected to reach US$4.65 billion by 2030. Although a latecomer to the field, China already accounts for 49.1% of global synthetic biology patents (25,099), far surpassing the United States' 12.8% (6,524). Since 2018, a total of 1,039 investment deals have been concluded in this sector, with total funding exceeding 92 billion yuan. China possesses a significant advantage in biomanufacturing capacity; in 2024, the output of biofermentation products reached 34 million tonnes, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 5%, far exceeding the US figure of 34%, thereby providing a solid foundation for the industrialisation of synthetic biology.
Integration of Industry, Academia, and Research: Building a Full-Chain Industrial Ecosystem
At the symposium, representatives from industry, academia, and research reached several substantive cooperation agreements. Attending leaders and guests jointly unveiled the Life Sciences Committee and toured the Joint Laboratory for Natural Ingredients and Biomanufacturing. XI'AN APP-CHEM BIO (TECH) CO., LTD. and Shaanxi Anqi Food signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly establish the "Joint Laboratory for Natural Ingredients and Biomanufacturing". Shaanxi Anqi Food will focus on three key areas of chronic disease intervention: the "Four Highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high body weight), gastrointestinal health, and brain and neurological function. The company will adhere to the principle of combining the traditional wisdom of "medicinal and edible origins" with modern scientific validation, utilising synthetic biology technologies to reconstruct efficient biosynthetic pathways for natural bioactive compounds, thereby accelerating the technological leap from the laboratory to industrialisation. It will integrate the inherent resources of the industrial ecosystem to create a full-chain green ecosystem spanning from the cultivation of traditional Chinese medicinal materials to the research and development of functional foods. Xu Yunfeng, Executive Director of the Guosheng Think Tank, proposed a high-quality development pathway for "AI + Life Sciences". He recommended leveraging national-level platforms to support laboratory construction, adhering to industry standards, and coordinating the planning of industrial reports to empower industrial development through new-style think tank research. He called for the thorough implementation of the spirit of the 14th Five-Year Plan, which advocates "launching the 'AI+' initiative to promote the commercial and large-scale application of artificial intelligence in key industries and sectors".
The establishment of the Life Sciences Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial Research Association for Cultural Soft Power is not only a major event for the sector but also a vivid demonstration of the deep integration of soft power and hard technology. By creating a platform to strengthen the commercialisation of research outcomes, enhance international outreach, and support technological innovation through talent development, the Committee aims to promote the high-quality development of China's life sciences industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, thereby contributing wisdom and strength to the construction of a 'Healthy China' and the enhancement of the nation's cultural soft power.
Source:
1. Xinhua News: http://www.news.cn/finance/20260317/a0baa2cddabb42868978c2dd2b9c839e/c.html
2. China.org.cn: http://tcm.china.com.cn/2026-03/17/content_43374863.html
3. Phoenix News: https://ishare.ifeng.com/c/s/v0063pdf3i0V05hFag2Nu3yOv -_h7l-_jEZ5OB7CxEC--R5dRAOqbIVRmyj85PPZjX-_whWF?spss=np&channelId=&aman=fgb043fr3r1fgY5g04UMDYZxMjdAyMFjJhkZmYxyMTZA21l00v
4. Xi'an Net: https://news4g.xiancity.cn/system/2026/03/17/031244195.shtml?_from=&_l=0&appId=&random=f2f03b75-f62c-480b-9c8c-fc86bf7e6ada&_c=2
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