The 2018 Pujiang Innovation Forum is set to be held in Shanghai at the end of October, aiming to continue promoting science and technology innovation in China and the world and supporting global innovation development, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced at a press conference on Wednesday.

Initiated in 2008, the forum has been successfully held 10 times. It will kick off on Oct 29 and end on Nov 1.

The forum, one of the most influential and high-profile of its kind held in China, is organized jointly by the ministry and Shanghai municipal government and dedicated to creating a platform for global innovation exchange among academics, government and industry experts.

This year's event carries a theme of innovation-driven development and supply-side structural reform in the new era, consisting of four special subforums and 11 other subforums and panel discussions focusing on topics including entrepreneurs, finance, policies and future science.

Tang Yuli, deputy director of the ministry's policy and regulation department, said this year's forum will highlight the power of youth, with a new roundtable talk specially held for young scientists and entrepreneurs.

It will also stress regional connections, particularly the development of theGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Yangtze River Delta Region, and future science trends, he said.

More than 200 guest speakers, including scientists and scholars, entrepreneurs, government officials and foreign guests, will attend the event.

"This year marks the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up, which is also the key year to deepen supply-side structural reform. We hope to gather global powers together to strengthen the quality, efficiency and momentum of innovation development," he said.

Portugal will be the forum's country of honor and a special workshop will be held, aiming to deepen cooperation in science and technology innovation between the two countries.

"Portugal and China have developed bilateral science and technology relations very deeply in the last few years," said Maria de Jesus Espada from the Portuguese embassy in Beijing. "This year, we're bringing to China our knowledge on how to cultivate the fruit of curiosity and promote a creative environment."