On June 3, 2026, the 10th World Transport Convention (WTC 2026) officially opened in Tianjin. The convention was jointly hosted by China Highway & Transportation Society, China Institute of Navigation, China Railway Society, Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China Society of Automotive Engineers, and China Air Transport Association. Themed "AI + Transportation", the event brought together transportation researchers, industry elites, experts and scholars from 21 countries and regions worldwide to explore cutting‑edge technologies, development trends and cooperation opportunities for the transportation sector in the artificial intelligence era.
Yan Xinping, Chairman of China Institute of Navigation, attended the opening ceremony and delivered an address. He stated that a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is forging ahead. As a strategic technology leading such transformation, artificial intelligence is empowering all sectors of the economy with unprecedented breadth and depth. As a foundational, pioneering and strategic industry for the national economy, the in‑depth integration between transportation and AI serves not only as a key driver to improve transport efficiency, guarantee operational safety and optimize service experience, but also as a core engine to advance high‑quality industrial development and foster new‑quality productive forces, as well as a vital pathway toward carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. He called on peers across the industry to "jointly draw the blueprint, pursue integrated innovation and deepen cooperation", so as to build a new open and collaborative ecosystem for transport science and technology, and contribute wisdom and solutions to addressing common industrial challenges and advancing the high‑quality development of global transportation.
A keynote session was held during the event, where five Chinese and international experts presented reports on industry frontiers. A series of international exchange seminars and multilateral academician forums were also arranged. On the academic front, the convention received 2,114 contributed papers. The Convention Executive Committee, in partnership with China Journal of Highway and Transport, launched the "WTC 10th Anniversary Special Issue". Distinguished industry experts were invited to prepare manuscripts, showcasing China's latest research outcomes in intelligent transportation, resilient infrastructure and other fields.