CAST UN Consultative Committee on Open-Source Innovation convenes first Chair's working meeting, plans its path in global open-source governance

2025-11-10

The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) UN Consultative Committee on Open-Source Innovation (the "Committee") held its inaugural Chair's working meeting for 2025 on October 30.

Hosted at the National Engineering Research Center for Big Data Software at Tsinghua University, the meeting defined the Committee's strategic roadmap: to represent China’s scientific community in global open-source governance and contribute technical solutions within the United Nations framework.

Leadership and Vision 

The meeting was presided over by Wang Jianmin, Chair of the Committee, and Dean of the School of Software at Tsinghua University.

Zhang Yanchuan, Executive Vice Chair of the Committee, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Institute of Communications, delivered a speech, emphasizing that open source is not merely a model for technical collaboration, but a critical pathway for China to engage in global technology narratives within the UN framework and advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"The Committee bears the mission of amplifying China's voice in the open source domain at the UN," Zhang stated. He highlighted that the body will stay committed to the "Four Global Initiatives" proposed by President Xi Jinping, and contribute China’s strength to the development and governance of global open-source technology.

Establishment and Roadmap 

Secretary-General Wang Wei reported on the Committee's formation. Officially approved by CAST on September 10, 2025, the Committee is built upon the foundation of the CAST UN Consultative Committee on Open-Source Technology of China Institute of Communications. The 2025–2026 roadmap was unveiled, designating 2025 as the "founding year." 

Strategic Outlook: Alignment with National and Global Goals 

In his concluding remarks, Wang Jianmin stressed the need for the Committee to define its goals and mission, closely aligning with China's upcoming "15th Five-Year Plan" while championing "high-level opening up and win-win cooperation."

Wang proposed that the Committee should prioritize collaboration with Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner nations, gradually expanding its service reach to achieve broader international synergy. He emphasized the importance of aligning individual member growth with national strategy to ensure a sense of shared achievement.

About the Committee 

Operating under the CAST UN consultative platform, the Committee adheres to principles of neutrality and academic leadership. It is dedicated to fusing insights from academia and industry to drive innovation, facilitating the exchange of frontier ideas, and contributing Chinese strength to the global governance of open-source technology.

This article is an English adaptation of a report originally published by the China Institute of Communications. It has been summarized and localized for an international audience.