The inauguration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences & the First Songshan Lake Forum was held on November 24-25, 2018, in Dongguan, Guangdong, to boost the development of the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory (the Lab).

Headed by the Institute of Physics (IOP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Lab was jointly built by the People's Government of Dongguan Municipality and the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of CAS. Relying on the Lab, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences (the Center), will work with domestic and foreign universities, CAS, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and other institutions, and draw on the successful experience of international research institutions, to invite world-class scholars for medium- and long-term or short-term visits. It will hold series of well-known international conferences and schools while highlighting continuous and in-depth scientific workshops to build a platform for high-level, long-term and stable academic exchanges and cooperative research. Centering on materials science and orienting to interdisciplinary sciences of life, energy, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence, the Center will focus on relevant frontier sciences and latest developments at home and abroad to carry out interdisciplinary cooperation and provide sources of innovative ideas and outcomes. It will be open to the public to publicize and popularize various achievements of materials science and related science, in a bid to form an advanced scientific and cultural basis for encouraging and cultivating more outstanding young people to participate in frontier research. In addition, it will establish sound partnership with governments, enterprises, universities and scientific research institutes, to provide strategic advice for the Lab, and lead the development of interdisciplinary science in China and even the world.

On the morning of November 24, the Opening Ceremony kicked off at Songshan Lake University Innovation Twon, Dongguan. Guests who attended the Opening Ceremony and made speeches include Academician Xie Xincheng, Director of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Academician Gao Hongjun, Deputy Secretary General of CAS, Xiao Yafei, Mayor of Dongguan City, Academician Chu Ching-wu, Representative of Hong Kong and Macao scientists, Professor Eberhard Bodenschatz, an overseas representative and Chairman of Department of Chemistry, Physics and Technology, Max Planck Society of Germany, and Academician Gao Song, President of South China University of Technology. Academician Wang Enge, Chairman of the Board of the Lab, delivered a speech and expressed gratitude to all leaders and guests present at the ceremony on behalf of the Lab. He said the Center is expected to become a world-class academic exchange center with researchers of different disciplines and professional backgrounds making concerted efforts, innovating the system and mechanism, and focusing on key research directions.

At the Ceremony, Chairman of the Board Wang Enge awarded appointment letters to the Center Director Tang Chao, Executive Deputy Director Hu Jiangping, Deputy Director Dai Xi and Deputy Director Tang Leihan. Then, Director Tang Chao, Professor Eberhard Bodenschatz, Fang Zhong, Director of IOP, Academician Chu Ching-wu, Gao Song, President of South China University of Technology, and Wang Enke, President of South China Normal University jointly unveiled the plaque for the Center. Guests who witnessed the unveiling of the plaque are Academician Wang Enge, Chairman of the Board  of the Lab, Liang Weidong, Secretary of the Dongguan Municipal Committee, Academician Zhao Zhongxian, Director of Academic Committee of the Lab, Xiao Yafei, Mayor of Dongguan City, Academician Zhan Wenlong, President of Chinese Physical Society, Zheng Haitao, Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Academician Xie Xincheng, Director of NSFC, Huang Shaowen, Member of the Standing Committee of Dongguan Municipal Committee, Academician Gao Hongjun, Deputy Secretary General of CAS, Ouyang Nanjiang, Director of the Administrative Committee of Dongguan Songshan Lake High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Academician Du Jiangfeng, Vice President of University of Science and Technology of China, Zhuo Qing, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Dongguan Songshan Lake High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Researcher Zhao Wei, President of Xi'an Branch of CAS, Professor Wang Xuehua, Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University, Xie Changlong, Vice President of Guangzhou Branch of CAS, Professor Xie Maohai of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and Professor Tang Zikang of the University of Macau (UM).

After the inauguration, a symposium was held, in which Fang Zhong, legal representative of the Laboratory and Director of IOP, CAS, gave a comprehensive introduction on the construction plan and working progress of the Lab and the Center, as well as the outlook for the future development. He mentioned that the Center was established in the spirit of building the science and technology innovation center at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and would become a hub for talents, as well as the source of innovative ideas and inspirations for interdisciplinary sciences. The government officials, leaders from universities and from IOP provided valuable suggestions on the construction and the future development of the Lab and the Center. More than 20 Academicians from the CAS, US National Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Sciences of Canada, presidents and vice presidents of universities, and directors of institutes attended the symposium, including Academician Xie Xincheng, Academician Gao Hongjun, Academician Cai Ronggen, Academician Chen Xianhui, Academician Du Jiangfeng, Academician Gao Song, Academician Gong Xingao, Academician Yu Dapeng, Academician Xie Xiaoliang, Academician Yu Lu, Academician Zhan Wenlong, Academician Chu Ching-wu, Academician Guo Hong, Academician Wang Enge, Academician Zhao Zhongxian. Wen Ya, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Lab and Party Secretary of IOP CAS hosted the inauguration ceremony and the symposium. Li Ming, Executive Deputy Director of the Lab and Secretary for Internal Discipline Inspection of IOP CAS, and Zhang Guangyu, Deputy Director of the Lab also attended the event.

From the afternoon of November 24 to November 25, the first Songshan Lake Forum of the Center was held. Several top experts and scholars made thematic reports on the development of the Center, and on many areas including materials, information, life, energy and environment. In addition, they also had continuous and in-depth discussions on the development plan of the Center and the interactions of materials science with other disciplines.

The establishment of the Center and the success of the first forum marked another solid step toward the goal of building the Lab. This is also a key move of implementing the national strategy of innovation-driven development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Based in Dongguan, the Center will become a world class academic center to exchange ideas, and a window for China to showcase its opening up in basic sciences and frontier science exchanges. It will also contribute significantly to the development of materials science and related interdisciplinies, and the creation of innovative ideas in science.

Leaders from related departments in Guangdong Province, leaders from the Guangzhou Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences, leaders from Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, leaders from related departments of Dongguan, representatives from the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, and representatives of Academicians and experts also attended this event.