Major Events in 2003

  January 15

11th Session of China-Japan (Kumamoto) Industrial Technology Symposium was held in the city of Kumamoto, Japan with the theme of “Biotechnology and its Industrial Development”. Vice Minister Ma Songde of MOST, President Ono Shigeru of Kyushu-Yamaguchi Economic Federation and Director General Nishimura Masao of Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan attended the meeting.

  February 18

1st Session of China-EU Working Group on Information Society Dialogue was held in Brussels. Vice Minister Ma Songde of MOST headed a Chinese delegation to attend the meeting. Both sides exchanged views on strategies and policies for development of information technology, supervision laws on telecommmunication, and IT R&D plans. The two parties decided upon cooperation priorities, actions and projects in the short and medium terms.

  February 24

10th China-Japan Session of the Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was held in Tokyo, Japan. Deputy Director Gerneral Yuan Shuguang of the Department of International Cooperation, MOST, and Deputy Director-General Saiki Akitaka of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan attended the meeting.

  March 3

4th Working Group Meeting on Innovative Activities of China-Russian Subcommittee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was held in Beijing, China. The meeting announced the completion of China-Russia Joint Recommendations for Technological Commercialization and decided to conduct promotion activities in two countries.

  March 11

China-Canada Workshop on Dairy S&T Cooperation was held, which was sponsored by the Department of Rural and Social Development, the Department of International Cooperation and China Rural Technology Development Center, MOST.

  March 12

Protocol on China-South Africa S&T Cooperation was signed by Vice Minister Wu Zhongze of MOST and Vice Minister Buyelwa Sonjica of Science and Technology of South Africa to carry out cooperation and exchanges in various fields including communication, information, aerospace development, agriculture, mining, medical care and public health.

  March 18

5th Session of the Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation between China and Vietnam was held in Beijing, China. It was chaired by Deputy Director General Yuan Shuguang of the Department of International Cooperation, MOST and Director General Thach Can of International Relations Department, Ministry of Science and Technology, Vietnam.

  March 24

China-Canada IT Cooperation Seminar was held in Beijing, China, which was sponsored by the Department of International Cooperation, the Department of High and New Technology and Industrialisation, High-tech Research and Development Center （HTRDC） of MOST and Beijing Science and Technology Commission. On the seminar, discussions were held on technological cooperation in wireless communication, multi-media, software and digital Olympics.

  May 5

China-US Workshop on SARS was held in Beijing. Participants included Vice Minister Li Xueyong of MOST, Vice Minister Huang Jiefu of the Ministry of Health of China, Vice President Chen Zhu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Acting Deputy Chief Dan Morris of the US Mission in Beijing, US expert Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, and other officials and experts.

  May 14

Minister Xu Guanhua of MOST, Leader of the Key Science and Technology Group under the National Task Force for SARS Control and Prevention, met with Dr. Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative in China. Li Xueyong, Vice Minister of MOST, Zhang Xinsheng, Vice Minister of Education, Chen Zhu, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huang Peitang, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences attended the meeting.

  June 3

Vice Minister Liu Yanhua of MOST held talks with US delegates from the National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about research cooperation in public health and the fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

  June 17

Framework Agreement for China-German Joint Institutes for Information and Communication was signed to finalize issues concerning IPR, legal status and jointly developed technologies between Sino-German Joint Software Institute (Beijing) and German-Sino Mobile Communication Institute (Berlin).

  June 20

MOU on Science and Technology Cooperation between Ministry of Science and Technology of P. R. China and National Research Council of Canada was signed by Shi Dinghuan, Secretary General of MOST and Bruce Pridmore, Regional Director of Industrial Research Assistance Program, National Research Council of Canada in Qingdao, China.

  July 7

Minister Xu Guanhua of MOST and Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio signed a memorandum on cooperation in the fight against SARS at the Great Hall of the People.

  July 11-13

International Science Symposium on SARS was held in Beijing, China. Participants included Mme. Chen Zhili, State Councilor, Minister Xu Guanhua of MOST, Vice Minister Huang Jiefu of Health, Dr. Henk Bekedam, WHO representative, and other high-ranking officials from both Chinese and foreign governments. Many renounced scientists and researchers from over a dozen countries also attended the symposium, which presented and discussed the up-dated developments in SARS prevention and control issues.

  July 21

7th Session of China-Russia Subcommittee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of China-Russia Commission on Preparation for Regular Premiers Meeting was held in Moscow. Vice Minister Ma Songde of MOST led the Chinese delegation and signed a protocol at the meeting. 40 new cooperation projects were incorporated into the bilateral S&T cooperation program.

  August 11

Vice Minister Wu Zhongze of MOST, headed a delegation to visit Australia.

  August 19

Protocal of the Sixteenth Session on Scientific and Technological Cooperation Between The Government of the People’s Republic of China and The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was signed in Beijing by Vice Minister Liu Yanhua of MOST and Pakistan’s Secretary of Science and Technology, Shahzad Hassan Pervez.

  August 28

China-Russia Plenary Working Group Meeting for Coordinating the Economic and Technological Collaboration was held in Beijing.

  September

Vice Minister Liu Yanhua of MOST, in his US visit, held talks with the US Department of Commerce on cooperation in technical standardization.

  September 11

17th Session of the Joint Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand was held in Shanghai, China. Vice Minister Wu Zhongze of MOST, and Pracha Guna-Kasem, advisor of the Minister of foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand signed the meeting minutes.

  September 17

Vice Minister Liu Yanhua of MOST headed a diary delegation to visit Canada.

  September 22

3rd Meeting of the China-ASEAN Joint Science and Technology Committee, and 46th Meeting of ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology was held in Hochiminh City, Vietnam.

  October

Vice Minister Li Xueyong of MOST visited the US and attended a meeting of China-US workgroup on agricultural S&T cooperation. He also attended the 2nd International Conference of Agricultural Science and Technology (ICAST).

  October 14

The 25th Anniversary of Germany-China Scientific and Technological Cooperation was celebrated in Beijing, China.

  October 16

4th Session of the Joint Committee on China-Egypt S&T Cooperation was held in Beijing, China. Vice Minister Liu Yanhua of MOST and President Fawzi Abdel Kader Elrefaie of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology of Egypt attended the session.

  October 16

Ukraine Scientific and Technological Weeks & Hi-tech Exposition was held in China-Ukrainian Hi-tech Park in Jinan city, Shangdong, sponsored by MOST, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and Shandong Provincial Government. The Ukrainian delegation brought along over 500 projects and signed 91 letters of cooperation intent, which covered various areas including electronics, information technology, biotechnology, new materials, advanced manufacturing technology, medical care, energy saving, environmental friendly technology, apparatus, and agricultural technology.

  October 20

Minister Xu Guanhua of MOST was awarded Foreign Membership by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

  October 22

Minister Xu Guanhua of MOST met with Dr Brendan Nelson, Minister for Education Science and Training of Australia.

  October 24

Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Food Safety Between the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China and Food Standards Australia New Zealand was signed in Canberra, Australia. Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the signing ceremony. Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Wu Tao, and the Hon. Julie Bishop, MP Minister for Ageing on behalf of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), signed the memorandum.

  October 26

Agreement Between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of New Zealand on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was newed in Hamilton, New Zealand. Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the signing ceremony. Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Chen Mingming, Minister James Sutton of Biosecurity of New Zealand signed the agreement.

  October 29

6th Meeting of China-Cuba Governmental Mixed Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation was held in Cuba. Vice Minister Li Xueyong of MOST and Mr. Brujas, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba chaired the meeting.

  October 29

Development of Electrical-Driven and Fuel Cell Vehicle Technologies, which is the 5th annex of Protocol on Cooperation in the Field of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies Development and Utilization, was signed by Secretary General Shi Dinghuan of MOST and US Assistant Secretary Vicky Bailey of the Department of Energy.

  October 30

Galileo Satellite Navigation Cooperation Agreement was signed at the Sixth EU-China Summit by Minister Xu Guanhua of MOST, EU Representative Lami, and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

  November Shi

Dinghuan, Secretary General of MOST attended China-US Conference on Clean Energy and International Partnership for Hydrogen Economy (IPHE), which were held in the US. Later, he visited Canada for talks on cooperation in fuel cell and electric driven vehicles.

  November 5

Ninth Negotiations Meetings on the Joint Implementation of ITER (N9) were held in Beijing. 23 Chinese delegates, 78 delegates from the USA, Canada, EU, Japan, South Korea and Russia, attended the meeting.

  November 12

Presentation of “China-Russian Joint Recommendations for Technological Commercialization” was held.

  November 23

China-US Joint Center for Grazingland Ecosystem Restoration was launched at Gansu Agricultural University. Li Xueyong, Vice Minister of MOST, Hong Xuzeng, member to the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, Lu Hao, Governor of Gansu Province, Joseph Jen, US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and officials from the World Bank attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

  November 27

MOU on Dairy Science and Technology Cooperation between Ministry of Science and Technology of P. R. C. and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada was signed by Vice Minister Liu Yanhua of MOST and Deputy Minister Samy Watson of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

  November

Vice Minister Deng Nan of MOST, attended Workshop on China-US Relation in the USA.

  December 11

MOU on Dairy Science and Technology Cooperation between Ministry of Science and Technology of P. R. C. and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada was signed in Ottawa, Canada. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended the signing ceremony. Chinese Ambassador to Canada, Mei Ping, and Lyle Vanclief, Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada (AAFC) signed the MOU.

  December 12

Business Meeting-2003 on Joint S&T Projects between Zhejiang Province and Russia, sponsored by the MOST, Ministry for Industry, Science and Technologies of the Russian Federation and Zhejiang Province, was launched as a provincial campaign in Zhejiang.

  December 16

3rd Working Session of Director General on China-South Korea S&T Cooperation was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Deputy Director General Zhang Zhiqin of International Cooperation of MOST, and Director General Mun-Ki Lee of Science & Technology Cooperation Bureau of Republic of Korea attended the session and signed the meeting protocol.

  December 16

Vice Minister Cheng Jinpei of MOST headed a delegation to visit Brazil and the South Pole. He and Brazil's Science and Technology Minister Robert Amaral, chaired the China-Brazil S&T Ministerial Meeting.