Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, has taken a decisive step towards becoming a leading innovation hub in northern China. On 25 August, the city convened a conference on deepening the integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, during which it officially released its Measures for Advancing Deep Integration of Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation, alongside an overarching implementation plan. The 20 measures are designed 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 the region.
The conference underscored a clear message: "The less developed a region is, the more it needs to pursue an innovation-driven development strategy." This sentiment reflects the city's determination to leverage its existing strengths. Hohhot is home to the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre, which 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. This innovation supports the city's goal of advancing from the "Dairy Capital of China" to a global dairy hub. Additionally, a major scientific facility for aerospace, sky-to-ground, cross-scale metrology is under construction in Horinger New District, benchmarked against international standards. Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region's first new-energy industrial large model, open to the world. A domestic enterprise, the only one capable of producing 4N5 high-purity germanium products consistently, is helping overcome key raw-material bottlenecks in quantum technology and calcium-titanium mineral photovoltaics. These examples illustrate how technological and industrial innovation are converging and reinforcing each other in Hohhot.
The city's commitment is tangible. 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, while each "Qingcheng Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent" may receive up to RMB 500,000 in research support. By 2030, Hohhot aims to attract 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 and demonstrating the city's sincerity in supporting innovators.
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. The city understands that innovation cannot thrive in isolation.
Like the Mongolian horse, Hohhot is resilient, diligent and determined—never resting until the goal is achieved. This character is reflected in the city's breadth and inclusiveness, combined 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: here are supportive policies, real-world application scenarios and a genuine commitment to partnership—together with a vast landscape in which to join hands with those who strive and build for the future.
