Two hundred and sixty Chinese and international science organizations have signed an open letter calling for solidarity and cooperation to make science and technology better serve the well-being of humanity and contribute to the sustainable progress of human civilization.

They released the letter on Sunday at the 3rd World Science and Technology Development Forum in Beijing.

The organizations included the China Association for Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the UNESCO. 

"Science and technology are the fruits of collective wisdom and the common heritage of humanity. At present, a new round of scientific, technological, and industrial revolutions is underway, providing new solutions to global development issues and challenges, such as infectious diseases, climate change, and sustainable development," read the letter. 

Regarding innovation, the open letter said that the scientific and technological community, as contributors and facilitators of scientific and technological innovation, should strive for excellence and encourage innovation.

It called on the science community to explore the new frontiers of science, promote excellence in science, and create a free and equal academic environment that respects and encourages innovation and takes a positive attitude towards failure.

The open letter underlined openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit, calling for the scientific community to promote open science and allow data, knowledge, infrastructure, and achievements to be more widely accessible and reliably applied.

However, the letter stressed that open science should not go beyond legal limits, openness should be balanced and appropriate, and scientists should protect personal privacy, data security and intellectual property rights should be protected.

The letter also called for enhancing cooperation, equality, and mutual trust among scientists and engineers, building an open international innovation network, and promoting international exchanges and cooperation in science.

The letter also highlighted academic freedom and scientific ethics to ensure science and technology are for good purposes. 

In addition, they pledged to strengthen efforts in popularizing science, increasing public engagement, and participating more actively in policymaking. 

The 3rd World Science and Technology Development Forum took place in Beijing on Saturday and Sunday. 205 guests from 19 countries and regions, including seven Nobel laureates and 43 academicians, attended the forum to share their views around the theme of "Openness, Trust, Cooperation."

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