The 2026 Pujiang Innovation Forum was held in Shanghai from September 11 to 14, with Hunan Province serving as the guest province of honor. On September 11, a thematic forum on the convergence of culture and technology took place at the Zhangjiang Science Hall, bringing together representatives from government, academia, and industry to explore emerging opportunities at the intersection of cultural innovation and technological development.

Xiaoming SHEN, Secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, attended the forum. The event was chaired by Junshou WANG, a member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee. Jing WU, President of Science and Technology Daily; Jie CHEN, Vice-Mayor of Shanghai; Zhenbin YANG, Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Yang LIU, Vice Governor of Hunan Province, delivered remarks.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, President Xi Jinping has made four inspection visits to Hunan and outlined key priorities for the province’s development, including deeper integration of culture and technology. Building on its strengths in audiovisual content and equipment, digital heritage, animation, and gaming, Hunan has continued to explore new models for technology-enabled cultural innovation and industrial development.

At the thematic forum, experts and representatives from China and abroad discussed global trends in culture–technology convergence, approaches being developed across China, and practices emerging from Hunan. A roundtable discussion focused on breakthroughs in intelligent audiovisual technologies and their expanding applications. The forum also sought to strengthen collaboration across sectors, connect expertise with industry resources, and explore new pathways for innovation-driven growth in the cultural sector.

As one of Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s key academic and research platforms for advancing the integration of culture and technology, the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) has continued to connect cultural creativity, digital technologies, and industry applications.

Looking ahead, Shanghai Jiao Tong University will further strengthen culture–technology collaboration between Shanghai and Hunan through platforms such as the SJTU Hunan Institute for Advanced Study. Building on the forum, ICCI will continue to leverage SJTU’s interdisciplinary and international strengths to advance cross-regional collaboration, technology transfer, and talent development, while turning shared ideas into concrete projects that support cultural innovation and the global communication of Chinese culture.