On 25 August, Hohhot convened a conference on deepening the integration of technological and industrial innovation, officially releasing its Measures for Advancing Deep Integration of Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation, along with an overarching implementation plan. The 20 measures aim to place economic and social development firmly on an innovation-driven path and accelerate Hohhot's emergence as an important growth pole for high-quality development in northern China.
The conference underscored a key message: 'The less developed a region is, the more it needs to pursue an innovation-driven development strategy.' This resolve is backed by tangible strengths. For instance, the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre has shortened dairy-cattle breeding evaluation from four years to just 45 days and cultivated China's first probiotic strain for infants and young children derived from Chinese breast milk, helping the 'Dairy Capital of China' advance towards becoming a global dairy hub. Additionally, a major scientific facility for aerospace, sky-to-ground, cross-scale metrology is rising in Horinger New District, while Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region's first new-energy industrial large model. A domestic enterprise, the only one able to consistently produce 4N5 high-purity germanium products, is helping quantum technology and calcium-titanium mineral photovoltaics overcome key raw-material bottlenecks.
Hohhot's commitment is also reflected in substantial fiscal investments. Municipal fiscal investment in science and technology will double in 2026 and double again in 2027. Newly recognised 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, Hohhot aims to introduce an additional 10 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 50 high-level innovation teams. Through a policy approach of 'enjoy benefits without application and receive them directly and swiftly', the city will provide inclusive computing-power vouchers, model vouchers, and token vouchers to technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises, lowering barriers to innovation.
Openness is a defining feature of Hohhot's strategy. Drawing on 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 take place elsewhere while results are transformed and applied in Hohhot. This approach reflects the city's understanding that innovation cannot thrive in isolation.
Like the Mongolian horse, Hohhot is resilient, diligent, and determined. The city's character combines the breadth and inclusiveness of the grasslands with the courage to open northwards, explore new frontiers, and put ideas into action. From the 'Dairy Capital of China' to China's 'Cloud Valley', from the pastures of Chilechuan to the computing-power clusters of Horinger, this green city is becoming a city of innovation. Hohhot extends an invitation to the world, offering supportive policies, real-world application scenarios, and a genuine commitment to partnership, with a vast landscape for those who strive and build for the future.
