On May 18, 2006 in the office building of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, XU Guanhua, Minister of Science and Technology met with Mr. Koji Omi, Member of Japan’s House of Representatives, former Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy and Chairman of the Science and Technology in Society Forum (the STS Forum) and his delegation.

    During the meeting, Mr. Koji Omi gave an account of the two annual conferences held since the founding of the STS Forum in November 2004. It is described that each conference had reached a scale of 500 people. The annual conferences were participated in by 10 Nobel laureates, ministers of science and technology from 20 countries and 20 internationally well-known university presidents. Mr. Koji Omi warmly invited Minister XU to attend the third annual conference of the STS Forum to be held in Kyoto, Japan on 10-12 September 2006, make a speech at the plenary meeting and attend the round-table conference of ministers of science and technology. Mr. Koji Omi hoped that the Chinese side would send a delegation to participate in the conference.

    Minister XU expressed appreciation for the efforts made by the Japanese government and Mr. Koji Omi to facilitating the founding of the STS Forum and the holding of annual conferences. He also thanked Mr. Koji Omi for the work he did in promoting the friendship between China and Japan. Minister XU remarked that after the entry into the 21st century, human race is confronted with new challenges, which could be summed up as development of knowledge-based economy, globalization of economy and science and technology, and sustainable development. He said that this represented the advance of science and technology and also facilitated the development of science and technology itself. At the same time, he stressed, these challenges were no longer restricted to science and technology but also related to all aspects of social development. He indicated that the STS Forum provided an important platform for politicians, scientists and entrepreneurs to probe into the correlation of science and technology with social development and was therefore of great significance. The Japanese side had given full consideration to the program of this year's Forum. The Chinese side held an active attitude toward participation in the annual conference.

    Mr. Koji Omi and his delegation came to visit China at the invitation of Minister XU. The main purpose of the visit is to promote China's active participation in this year's annual conference of the STS Forum. During his stay in China, Mr. Koji Omi will also meet with ZHOU Guangzhao, Chairman of China Association for Science and Technology, LU Yongxiang, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the leaders of some universities and enterprises. Afterward, Mr. Koji Omi and his delegation will also visit Shanghai.