Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. WAN Gang visited Italy and Germany from Nov. 8 to 14, 2010.

To facilitate cooperation in innovation with Italy, Minister WAN paid visits to Rome, Milan, Florence and other cities from Nov. 8 to 10. During his visit, WAN met with Renato Brunetta, Italian Minister for Public Administration and Innovation, Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission, Mayor of Milan, and head of the Tuscany Regional Government. He also participated in a launch ceremony of the Chinese Culture Year in Italy, the China-Italy Innovation Forum, and the Opening Ceremony of the China-Italy Regional Technology and Innovation Cooperation Week. He made a keynote speech on the development and prospects of science, technology and innovation in China at the Innovation Forum.

From Nov. 11 to 12, the 21st Session of the China-Germany Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology Cooperation was held in Berlin. Minister WAN met with Annette Schawan, Minister of Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Both sides reviewed achievements since the last JCM, discussed cooperation possibilities in building innovation systems and related policy studies, commended the achievements of the German-Chinese Year of Science and Education  (2009-2010), and agreed to strengthen cooperation in climate change, energy conservation, environment protection, electric vehicles, etc. They signed the minutes after the meeting.

During his visit to Germany, WAN also met with Christian Woolf, German Federal President;  Peter Ramsauer, Transport Minister of Germany; Henning Kagermann, President of German Academy of Science and Engineering; Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft; and Peter Löscher, Siemens AG President and CEO. He also visited a demonstration site of electric vehicles in Berlin.