February 25, 2020, SZBL delegation met with officials from the Guangming District of Shenzhen to discuss on the construction for SZBL’s potential site in the Guangming Science City.

During the meeting, SZBL delegation introduced the laboratory’s construction scale, site selection and early inspection of the site to the officials from Guangming District. Officials from the Guangming District Bureau of the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality introduced the land resources and development plans of the Guangming Science City to the SZBL delegates. Both sides had an in-depth exchange of views into the laboratory’s site selection, scale of construction and future directions of development.

TU Huan, who attended the meeting as representative from the SZBL leadership, pointed out that to locate SZBL’s site in Guangming Science City would be an important move of Shenzhen to echo the nation’s call of developing a comprehensive national science center in the city; also, this move would lead to opportunities for Guangming District to absorb more high-end talents as well as build up first-class scientific facilities. TU Huan continued to express the hope that the Guangming Science City could grow into an attractive area of the city that combines strong scientific atmosphere and cultural spirit, becoming a powerhouse for international sci-tech discovery, and especially an open and globalized platform for bioinformatics and biomedicine research. TU Huan also wished that the two parties could work in collaborative efforts to help Shenzhen construct a world-class sci-tech town.

LIU Sheng, Mayor of the Guangming District of Shenzhen Municipality, fully recognized the achievement that SZBL has attained in scientific research, talent acquisition as well as laboratory construction. He expressed expectations to the development of SZBL and said that the Guangming District would provide strong support to SZBL in future development. During the meeting, LIU Sheng gave instruction that a special taskforce to set up to coordinate with the construction of SZBL in the Guangming Science City.