Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, has taken a significant step towards becoming a hub of innovation and economic growth. On August 25, the city convened a conference to announce the official release of its "Measures for Advancing Deep Integration of Technological Innovation and Industrial Innovation" along with an overarching implementation plan. These 20 measures are designed to place economic and social development firmly on an innovation-driven path, with the goal of accelerating Hohhot's emergence as an important growth pole for high-quality development in northern China.
The conference highlighted the city's recognition that less developed regions are often in greater need of innovation-driven strategies. This resolve is backed by tangible strengths. Hohhot is already home to the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre, which has significantly shortened dairy-cattle breeding evaluation from four years to just 45 days. The centre has also cultivated China's first probiotic strain for infants and young children derived from Chinese breast milk, contributing to the city's ambitions to become a global dairy hub.
In the Horinger New District, a major scientific facility for aerospace and cross-scale metrology is under construction, benchmarked against international standards. Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region's first new-energy industrial large model, making it available to the world. Additionally, a domestic enterprise, the only one capable of consistently producing 4N5 high-purity germanium products, is helping to overcome raw-material bottlenecks for 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 again in 2027. Newly recognized national-level innovation platforms will receive one-off research grants of RMB 3 million, and 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. To further lower barriers for tech-oriented SMEs, the city will provide inclusive computing-power vouchers, model vouchers, and token vouchers, with a policy approach of "enjoy benefits without application and receive them directly and swiftly."
Openness is a defining feature of Hohhot's strategy. 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 take place elsewhere while results are transformed and applied in Hohhot. This collaborative approach underscores the city's understanding that innovation cannot thrive in isolation.
Hohhot's character, often compared to the resilient and determined Mongolian horse, reflects a blend of grassland inclusiveness and pioneering spirit. From the "Dairy Capital of China" to China's "Cloud Valley," the city is transforming into a center of innovation, inviting the world to participate in its growth. With supportive policies, real-world application scenarios, and a genuine commitment to partnership, Hohhot aims to attract those who strive and build for the future.
