— Empowering the Building of a Transportation Powerhouse and Boosting the High-Quality Development of the Low-Altitude Economy

[Key Highlights] To thoroughly implement the strategic deployment of building a Transportation Powerhouse, seize the major opportunities presented by the development of the low-altitude economy, and promote the deep integration and coordinated development of integrated transportation and low-altitude transport, the Inaugural Meeting of the Integrated Transportation and Low-Altitude Transport Engineering Branch of the China Civil Engineering Society (CCES) was grandly held in Shenzhen on May 29, 2026. The establishment of the Branch marks the entry of China's integrated transportation and low-altitude transport sector into a new stage of specialized, systematic, and coordinated development, injecting strong momentum into building a modern, comprehensive, three-dimensional transportation system and cultivating new quality productive forces for the low-altitude economy.

On May 29, the Inaugural Meeting of the Integrated Transportation and Low-Altitude Transport Engineering Branch of the China Civil Engineering Society was successfully held in Shenzhen. Leaders and guests attending the meeting included Yi Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Deputy Director of its Population, Resources and Environment Committee, and President of the China Civil Engineering Society; Li Jiqin, Secretary-General of the CCES; Zhang Zhifeng, Deputy Director-General of the Transport Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality; Chen Xiangsheng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the College of Civil and Transportation Engineering of Shenzhen University; Tan Maoqin, Party Secretary of the Low-Altitude Division of the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality and First-Level Researcher; and Cui Hongzhi, Dean of the Institute of Science and Technology Development of Shenzhen University. The meeting was chaired by Zou Liang, Associate Dean of the College of Civil and Transportation Engineering of Shenzhen University. Nearly 200 representatives jointly witnessed this important moment, coming from universities such as Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Southeast University, Zhejiang University, Sun Yat-sen University, Harbin Institute of Technology, South China University of Technology, Xinjiang University, Beijing Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Shenzhen Technology University, and Shenzhen Polytechnic University, as well as enterprises and institutions such as the China Academy of Transportation Sciences, China Construction Third Engineering Bureau, China Railway Construction Corporation, China Railway Group, Shenzhen Metro, Suzhou Rail Transit Group, China Railway Design Corporation, China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group, Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group, Guangzhou Metro Design & Research Institute, Guangzhou Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute, Shenzhen Urban Transport Planning Center (SUTPC), and East China Architectural Design & Research Institute.

Academician Chen Xiangsheng, Dean of our College, was elected President of the Branch; Professor Hu Mingwei, Chief Information Officer, was elected Vice President; Associate Dean Li Dong, a Professor-level Senior Engineer, was elected Secretary-General; Chen Xi, Director of the Comprehensive Management Office, and Xia Changqing, Distinguished Researcher, were elected Deputy Secretaries-General and Councilors; and Associate Dean Zou Liang was elected Councilor.

Leaders' Addresses: Charting the Blueprint for Development and Forging Industry Consensus

President Yi Jun: Anchoring the National Strategy and Shouldering the Mission of the Era

On behalf of the China Civil Engineering Society, President Yi Jun extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the Branch. He noted that, as China's drive to build a Transportation Powerhouse continues to deepen and the low-altitude economy rises to become a national strategic emerging industry, the close linkage and cross-sector integration of integrated transportation and low-altitude transport have become an inevitable trend in industry development. The establishment of the Branch is a concrete step in implementing the national strategy and a key measure for integrating industry resources and breaking through development bottlenecks — both timely and far-reaching in significance.

President Yi Jun expressed earnest expectations for the Branch's future development: first, to anchor the national strategy, shoulder the mission of the era, and proactively serve the overall cause of building a Transportation Powerhouse and developing the low-altitude economy; second, to gather outstanding talent from across the industry, deepen cross-sector integration, and promote full-chain collaborative innovation across industry, academia, research, and application; and third, to uphold innovation-driven leadership, consolidate the talent foundation, comprehensively enhance the industry's voice and international influence, and make positive contributions to the high-quality development of integrated transportation and low-altitude transport.

Deputy Director-General Zhang Zhifeng: Cultivating Fertile Ground for Innovation and Building a Benchmark for Development

Deputy Director-General Zhang Zhifeng stated that, as a national strategic emerging industry, the low-altitude economy is accelerating its integration with ground transportation and rail transit, driving the transportation system to expand comprehensively toward "air-ground integration and three-dimensional coordination." Shenzhen has always given priority to transportation and pursued innovation-driven development; it has laid out the entire low-altitude economy industrial chain with foresight, continuously improved its three-dimensional transportation infrastructure network, and is striving to build itself into a national benchmark city for the innovative development of the low-altitude economy.

He sincerely welcomed all council member units, experts, and scholars to bring advanced concepts and technologies to Shenzhen, and to jointly promote the deep coordination of rail transit, ground transportation, and low-altitude transport in planning and layout, hub connectivity, operational organization, and scenario applications, thereby contributing greater strength to the high-quality development of China's comprehensive three-dimensional transportation undertaking.

Academician Chen Xiangsheng: Leveraging Disciplinary Strengths to Serve Industrial Development

In his address, Academician Chen Xiangsheng, the Branch's first President, introduced the outstanding achievements of the College of Civil and Transportation Engineering of Shenzhen University in building a high-level faculty team and major research platforms, as well as the solid research strength and rich engineering practice experience the College has accumulated in infrastructure related to integrated transportation and low-altitude operations.

Academician Chen Xiangsheng emphasized that, as a principal founding unit of the Branch, Shenzhen University will fully support the Branch's work with an open and sharing attitude and promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research. The development of the low-altitude industry is a vast, systematic undertaking, and establishing safety systems, standards, and specifications for low-altitude operations is the current core focus. Drawing on the strengths of the civil engineering discipline, the Branch will concentrate on key areas such as the planning, design, operation, and maintenance of low-altitude transport infrastructure, providing solid support for the healthy and orderly development of the low-altitude industry system.

Dean Cui Hongzhi: Pooling Diverse Forces to Jointly Build a Benchmark Platform

Dean Cui Hongzhi stated that the low-altitude economy has become an important arena for cultivating new quality productive forces, and that, as Shenzhen makes every effort to build itself into a global benchmark city, the establishment of the Branch is timely. The Branch brings together diverse forces from universities, design institutes, and enterprises, achieving full-chain coverage of "industry, academia, research, and application" and laying a solid foundation for breaking down industry barriers and promoting deep integration.

As a founding unit, Shenzhen University will spare no effort to provide academic resources, research platforms, and talent support, and will work hand in hand with all council member units to build the Branch into a benchmark platform that serves the national strategy and leads industry progress.

Election and Unveiling: Improving the Organizational Structure and Embarking on a New Journey

At the meeting, Secretary-General Li Jiqin, on behalf of the China Civil Engineering Society, read out the official reply approving the establishment of the Integrated Transportation and Low-Altitude Transport Engineering Branch. Li Dong, Secretary-General of the Branch and Deputy Director of the Institute of Future Underground City of Shenzhen University, delivered the preparation report on behalf of the preparatory working group, comprehensively introducing the Branch's preparation process, organizational structure, and development plan.

By secret ballot, the meeting elected the Branch's first Council and leadership body:

·Academician Chen Xiangsheng was elected the Branch's first President;

·Fourteen experts — Hu Mingwei, Ma Tao, Hou Bowen, Lu Wenxue, Lei Chong, Zhang Xin, He Ligong, Wang Chen, Shen Zhongwei, Ling Jianming, Wu Chaohua, Yang Yong, Ouyang Bin, and Tao Ran — were elected Vice Presidents;

·Li Dong, a Professor-level Senior Engineer, was elected Secretary-General.

Subsequently, the leaders and guests jointly unveiled the plaque of the Integrated Transportation and Low-Altitude Transport Engineering Branch of the China Civil Engineering Society, marking the official establishment of the Branch and the start of a brand-new journey in serving industry development.

Looking to the Future: Pooling Strength for Integration and Innovation to Jointly Build a Transportation Powerhouse

The establishment of the Branch is an important measure by the China Civil Engineering Society to respond to the national strategy and serve industry development, and it is also a significant milestone in the development of China's integrated transportation and low-altitude transport field. The Branch will give full play to its role as a bridge and bond, integrate high-quality industry resources, pool the forces of all parties across industry, academia, research, and application, and focus on core tasks such as tackling key technologies, building the standards system, and cultivating and exchanging talent, so as to promote the deep integration and innovative development of integrated transportation and low-altitude transport.

Standing at a new historical starting point, the Integrated Transportation and Low-Altitude Transport Engineering Branch of the China Civil Engineering Society will, with higher standing, broader vision, and greater responsibility, help build a Transportation Powerhouse, empower the take-off of the low-altitude economy, and write a new and glorious chapter in building a modern, comprehensive, three-dimensional transportation system and advancing the high-quality development of China's transportation undertaking!