Beijing builds hub for modern agriculture

The National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Port under construction in Beijing's Pinggu district will be fully operational in 2028, aiming to drive China's push to build an agricultural powerhouse and achieve greater self-reliance.

Led by China Agricultural University, the project will focus on the country's priorities for future agricultural productivity, including life sciences, smart agriculture, emerging bio-industries and global agricultural cooperation, Sun Qixin, president of the university, said on Friday.

The life sciences platform will leverage the university's research strengths, including national key laboratories specializing in biotechnology, to advance frontier work in genomics, plant and animal breeding, and other transformative agricultural technologies, he said.

Smart agriculture — integrating digital technologies, artificial intelligence and intelligent equipment — will also be highlighted to modernize farm production. Rapid advances in AI present "a major opportunity" for transforming traditional agricultural systems, Sun said.

The port will target emerging and future industries such as bio-manufacturing, which has drawn increasing private investment in recent years, he said.

The facility will also promote international cooperation and South-South exchanges as China takes a larger role in global food security and sustainable development. A 40,000-square-meter complex will host international research, training and outreach programs, Sun said.

Construction of the port, covering 58 hectares, is fully underway. Total investment is expected to exceed 6 billion yuan ($830 million), with nearly 500,000 square meters of facilities planned.

Once completed, the hub will accommodate about 13,000 students and nearly 1,000 researchers and experts.

By 2028, the innovation port is expected to serve as a core platform for agricultural modernization, a base for advancing China's science and technology capabilities, and a key support for the university's goal of building a world-class agricultural institution, Sun said.