Hebei Province has achieved significant progress in fostering an innovation-driven economy, with key metrics showcasing robust growth. In 2024, the province's R&D expenditure reached 96.78 billion yuan, marking a 52.5% increase from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Technology contract transactions surged to 197.14 billion yuan, 3.53 times higher than the 13th Five-Year Plan's conclusion. The province now ranks among China's top 10 for national sci-tech SME registrations, while five local firms secured spots on the 2025 Global Unicorn List. Notably, Hebei topped the nation in absorbing Beijing's technology contract transactions.
At a recent press conference reviewing the 14th Five-Year Plan achievements, provincial science officials highlighted these milestones. "The past five years witnessed transformative upgrades in Hebei's innovation ecosystem, deep institutional reforms, and stronger industry-academia integration," said Long Fenjie, Director of Hebei's Science and Technology Department. The province established a high-level science committee to coordinate strategic planning, policy implementation, and resource allocation across sectors including finance, taxation, and education.
Reforms have streamlined R&D management, granting researchers greater autonomy in technical decision-making and resource allocation. Ten provincial universities and research institutes piloted ownership/long-term usage rights reforms for scientific achievements, accelerating high-quality commercialization.
Regional innovation hubs gained momentum with the launch of Hebei and Xiongan branches under the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei National Technology Innovation Center. These centers have initiated 48 projects worth 335 million yuan, commercializing eight high-tech ventures. Xiongan's special sci-tech program allocated over 370 million yuan to support research in next-gen IT by relocated universities and enterprises.
Industrial clusters flourished as eight national key laboratories settled in Hebei, spanning biopharma, electronics, and advanced equipment. The Yan Zhao Laboratory emerged as an innovation landmark, addressing core industrial challenges. Over 1,300 experts assisted 328 specialized SMEs, solving 655 technical bottlenecks and commercializing 499 outcomes.
To bridge the "last mile" of innovation, Hebei deployed open application scenarios, facilitating nearly 1,000 technologies from Tsinghua University and CAS in fields like smart ports. Jointly with Beijing and Tianjin, the province established concept verification platforms and pilot production bases to attract neighboring innovations. Sci-tech investment funds grew to 2.885 billion yuan, with consistent annual injections of 800 million yuan targeting early-stage hard-tech ventures.
Corporate innovation ecosystems improved through expanded R&D tax incentives, benefiting 24,000 enterprises in 2024 versus 11,000 in 2021. Upgraded innovation voucher policies and 19 industry-led innovation consortia strengthened supply chain collaboration. International cooperation yielded two Belt and Road joint labs with Serbia and Brazil, alongside tech partnerships with 60+ countries. Talent initiatives attracted 1,300 overseas experts, including Nobel laureates, through 100 global recruitment platforms.
Breakthroughs included China Electronics Technology Group's LEO satellite constellation achieving global coverage and Tongguang Semiconductor's mass production of 8-inch conductive SiC substrates. In民生科技, North China University of Science and Technology reclaimed 1,000+ acres of saline-alkali land, while CSPC Pharmaceutical's domestic首仿pulmonary fibrosis drug and Xiongan's underground navigation solutions set national benchmarks.