In a decisive move to accelerate its transformation into a high-quality development growth pole in northern China, Hohhot has rolled out a comprehensive set of measures to deepen the integration of technological and industrial innovation. The city announced 20 specific measures and an implementation plan during a conference on August 25, signaling a firm commitment to placing economic and social development on an innovation-driven path.
The measures come with a clear-eyed recognition of the challenges ahead. "The less developed a region is, the more it needs to pursue an innovation-driven development strategy," was a message echoed at the conference. This resolve is backed by tangible strengths that are already yielding results. For instance, the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre has slashed dairy-cattle breeding evaluation from four years to just 45 days, and has cultivated China's first probiotic strain for infants derived from Chinese breast milk, bolstering the city's status as the "Dairy Capital of China" and its ambition to become a global dairy hub.
Hohhot is also making strides in aerospace and new energy. A major scientific facility for aerospace, sky-to-ground, cross-scale metrology, benchmarked against international leaders, is under construction in Horinger New District. Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region's first new-energy industrial large model open to the world. Additionally, a domestic enterprise, the only one capable of consistently producing 4N5 high-purity germanium products, is helping overcome critical raw-material bottlenecks in quantum technology and calcium-titanium mineral photovoltaics.
The city's commitment is not just rhetorical. Municipal fiscal investment in science and technology is set to double in 2026 and double again in 2027. Newly recognized 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 from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 50 high-level innovation teams. The city is also implementing a policy of "enjoy benefits without application and receive them directly and swiftly," providing inclusive computing-power vouchers, model vouchers, and token vouchers to technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises, thereby lowering barriers to innovation.
Openness is a defining feature of Hohhot's approach. Leveraging 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 occur elsewhere but results are transformed and applied in Hohhot. This strategy underscores the city's understanding that innovation cannot thrive in isolation.
Like the resilient and determined Mongolian horse, Hohhot is pressing forward with the breadth and inclusiveness of the grasslands, combined with a pioneering spirit to open northwards and explore new frontiers. 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 positioning itself as a city of innovation. Hohhot extends an invitation to the world, offering supportive policies, real-world application scenarios, and a genuine commitment to partnership, with a vast landscape ready for those who strive and build for the future.
