The first meeting of China-Pakistan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Smart Disaster Prevention of Major Infrastructures has been held successfully at 14:30-16:00 pm, September 7, 2021. Participants in this meeting include the Laboratory Director Prof. Zhao-Dong Xu, Foreign Laboratory Director Prof. Abid Ali Sha, Executive Deputy Director Prof. Zhong-Fan, Chen, Deputy Director Xuan-Ya Liu in Tianjin Fire Science and Technology Research Institute of Ministry of Emergency Management, Deputy Director De-Zhi Li, vice president of School of Civil Engineering in Southeast University, Asst. Prof. Lin-Chao Li in Shenzhen University, Assoc. Prof. Bin Sun and Lecturer Yeshou Xu in Southeast University. The meeting takes online form and has made deep discussions on relevant topics such as "construction direction and construction ideas of joint laboratory" and "how to carry out joint laboratory construction".
Fig.1 Overview of online discussion at the meeting
At the meeting, Prof. Zhao-Dong Xu first affirmed the work done in the early stage and stressed the important position of the joint laboratory. China-Pakistan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Smart Disaster Prevention of Major Infrastructures is the only laboratory in the civil engineering discipline in China, and is the only belt and road joint laboratory in Southeast University. Prof. Zhao-Dong Xu further put forward some ideas on the construction of joint laboratory. The construction of the laboratory should not only emphasize academic research, but also focus on the promotion of Chinese intelligent disaster prevention technology in Pakistan and other "One Belt and One Road" countries. The laboratory should take research as the principal thing with combination of production, teaching, research and application, and characterization of International Exchange Promotion. Focus on the national education and postgraduate education in the "One Belt and One Road" countries. Holding academic and engineering conferences, international conferences. Tianjin Fire Science and Technology Research Institute of Ministry of Emergency Management and Shenzhen University shall build a laboratory sub centers or research centers, taking the joint laboratory as the platform, conduct profound cooperation and make concerted efforts to promote the further development of the joint laboratory.
Prof. Zhong-Fan Chen analyzed the advantages and characteristics of the joint laboratory, and put forward his opinions on the construction of the laboratory. The joint laboratory has advantages in intelligent disaster prevention, assembly buildings and infrastructure construction. The joint laboratory in construction should be positioned as an output type laboratory, exporting China's advanced technology to Pakistan, South Sultan, Southeast Asia, Africa and other "One Belt and One Road" countries and regions. Chinese construction enterprises have poverty alleviation and construction projects in local areas. The joint laboratory shall conduct profound cooperation and exchange with the construction enterprises, integrate the resources and advantages of test equipment, technical personnel and R & D promotion, and promote the rapid and steady development of the laboratory; Investigate the site selection, carry out laboratory division construction, and help promote and apply the advantageous technologies of the joint laboratory.
Director Xuan-Ya Liu in Tianjin Fire Science and Technology Research Institute of Ministry of Emergency Management also put forward some views on the construction and development of the joint laboratory. The construction of the joint laboratory should develop in an all-round way in production, teaching, research and application, set up open funds, and promote the R & D and promotion of advanced technologies and new products; Carry out sharing and exchange activity of key technologies and achievements based on the joint laboratory platform, expand China's influence, enhance national soft power, carry out output of standards, specifications and technical requirements, and hold regular seminars on "One Belt and One Road" research issues for the joint laboratory. Formulate the management system, operation mechanism and measures of the joint laboratory; Exchange, interaction and joint training of Postgraduates by all laboratory joint construction organizations; Combining with the practical engineering problems in the "One Belt and One Road" countries, we will tackle the problem of technology and research. Encourage the internal members of the laboratory to produce more effective scientific researches.
De-zhi Li, the vice president of the School of Civil Engineering in Southeast University also put forward some valuable suggestions on the cooperation between the joint laboratory and domestic construction enterprises. The joint laboratory cooperates with the China Eighth Engineering Bureau Ltd. and Jiangsu Provincial Construction Group and other enterprises to promote the popularization and application of technical advantages such as intelligent disaster prevention and infrastructure construction of the laboratory abroad, select advantageous enterprises to form joint construction partners and form a technology promotion demonstration base; domestic construction enterprises assist graduate student training for joint laboratory, etc.
Asst. Prof. Lin-Chao Li in Shenzhen University, Assoc. Prof. Bin Sun and Lecturer Yeshou Xu in Southeast University also participated in the discussion. The discussion focuses on the promotion of advanced technology of the joint laboratory to "One Belt and One Road" countries, the management system of the joint laboratory, the construction of the laboratory platform, the cooperation mode of the joint construction organizations and the communication and cooperation with other countries.