Shenzhen, a top-tier city in South China's Guangdong province and one of the most attractive cities for talents in China, steps up its efforts to create windows of opportunity for global cooperation in technological innovation and talent exchange.

The city looks to further upgrade its annual Conference for the International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP), which is welcoming the 19th edition next year from April 24 to 25.

Set to be themed "innovation, development, cooperation and win-win", the upcoming 19th CIEP will be organized into "an expo and trade fair for achievements in scientific and technological innovation and international talent exchange," said Lu Ming, director of CIEP's organizing committee and member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Falling on the first year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, the 2021 CIEP will underscore some themes addressed in the plan, including innovation and high-level opening-up.

The conference is to bring global innovation and talent resources to the city, which has been ranked high among Chinese cities in terms of innovation and attracting talents.

Shenzhen topped the top 10 national innovative cities ranked by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China in 2019. It became the most attractive city for talent in 2020, according to the latest report by work networking platform Maimai.

"The annual CIEP is a crucial platform for places around China to recruit talents and has played an important role in bringing talents to Shenzhen," said Nie Xinping, deputy mayor of Shenzhen.

The 2021 CIEP will inherit some successful practices of this year's conference, which has yielded much fruit as a platform binging all parties - including talents, institutions, enterprises, projects and investors - together for communication and cooperation.

This year's 18th conference, which mainly took place in the online form, has attracted more than 5000 institutions and around 60,000 individuals. Nearly 3200 projects were posted, seeking partnerships. About 30,000 job vacancies were published, drawing more than 90,000 copies of resumes.

About to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, the 19th conference will continue to shed light on mutually beneficial bilateral and multilateral cooperation on scientific and technological innovation under the broad context of China's opening up.

It will also embody new functions to better serve its upgraded role as both an expo and a trade fair, with technology, science and innovation.

Besides being a platform to exhibit and facilitate communications, CIEP will also become a trading platform for innovations and entrepreneurial projects. A new demonstrating and deal-making area will be designated for all kinds of enterprises and individuals.

CIEP is taking on its social responsibilities, educating the public about technology and innovation. The new science and technology education exhibition area will demonstrate the most closely watched scientific and technical creations to the general public.

The conference will invite domestic and foreign scholars and experts to join the course, informing people through highly interactive and participatory events and showcases.

It is to fit well into the new "dual circulation" development pattern, where domestic and foreign markets can boost each other with the domestic market as the mainstay.

The conference aims to realize higher-level opening up by hosting themed events and encourage exchange and collaboration between domestic and overseas resources.

It also vows to continue sharing "China's opportunities" for scientific and technological progress and innovation development - a commitment the 18th CIEP has lived up to - and build a globalized science and technology innovation community.

To guarantee the best performance of its new roles, the 19th CIEP will continue to integrate its online and offline integrated model - an attempt proved to be successful in the 2020 edition.

With the offline exhibition focusing on forums and themed activities, the online platform will help exhibitors and participants better connect by removing the restraint of spaces and borders.

The conference will make full use of Shenzhen's advantages as a major city in the Greater Bay Area and a frontrunner in science and technology innovation.

It will provide services such as project matching, overseas brand promotion and international talent big data analysis for governments, enterprises and institutions at all levels.

The 19th CIEP will "truly realize a never-end CIEP", said Liang Yongsheng, director of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission.