Chinese vice premier stresses Sino-U.S. innovation exchange in the youth

PITTSBURGH, United States, June 19-- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Friday called for further exchange between young people in China and the United States in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.

She made the remarks at a ceremony for the 10th anniversary of the "Chunhui Cup" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Chinese Students in Pittsburgh, the second-largest city in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania.

Innovation in China is developing rapidly and has become a major promoter for productivity, while "Chunhui Cup" serves as an important platform for overseas Chinese students to realize the value of life, Liu said at the ceremony, which is also themed with the launch of the 2015 Sino-U.S. Youth Maker Competition.

Young people is a fresh stream in innovation, Liu said, adding that Chinese students as well as foreign students across the world are encouraged to develop entrepreneurship in China.

Benjamin Booher, a Pittsburgh University student, said he was looking for a chance to start his scientific program in the field of mobile telecommunication. "The 'Chunhui Cup' may help me realize my dream," he said.

The "Chunhui Cup", a competition initiated in 2006 by China's Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology, is aimed to encourage talented individuals from around the world to seek out China as a place to start and grow new businesses.

The China-U.S. Youth Maker Competition, sponsored by China's Ministry of Education, will allow makers in the two countries to create innovative products focusing on community development, education, environmental protection, energy, transportation and other areas of sustainable technologies.

Liu, who arrived here on Thursday, met Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and Pittsburgh Mayor William Pedutovisit Friday morning. She will also visit the Confucius Institute at the University of Pittsburgh later on the day.

After her trip in Pittsburgh, Liu will visit Houston, Texas on Sunday, and then co-chair the sixth China-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange event with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry next week in Washington.