The China Intelligence Center (CIC), College of Arts, Media and Technology, Chiang Mai University, reaffirmed its pivotal role in advancing academic knowledge and strengthening regional Thai-Chinese collaboration networks. Led by Asst.Prof.Danaitun Pongpatcharatorntep, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Head of the CIC, the delegation was invited by Prof. Penghua Qiao, Dean of the School of Management and Economics at Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST), to serve as an expert speaker and deliver a special keynote address at the “2026 International Forum on Intelligent Innovation for the Future and the 2nd Academic Annual Conference on Science and Technology Innovation Empowering High-Quality Industrial Development in South and Southeast Asia.”

Key highlights of the international forum included:

• Promoting Regional Academic Exchange: Under the overarching theme “Innovation Drives the Frontier, Data Connects South Asia and Southeast Asia, Empowering High-Quality Industrial Development,” the conference provided a high-level platform for leading scholars and experts from China, South Asia, and Southeast Asia to discuss the application of intelligent innovation and databases in elevating high-quality industrial development.

• Establishing Strategic Alliances: A major milestone of the event was the official launch and signing declaration of the “South and Southeast Asia Economics and Management Industry-University-Research Alliance.” Acting as a vital academic bridge and providing in-depth analytical expertise between Thailand and China, the CIC played a key role in integrating efforts across educational, research, and industrial sectors to tangibly drive the regional digital economy and international trade.

The international academic conference took place from September 18 to 20, 2026, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China.