Wang Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology, met in Beijing with a Dominican delegation led by Alejandrina Germán, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology on April 2, 2019. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on science, technology and innovation (STI) developments in their respective countries and future modalities of bilateral cooperation in science and technology.

Minister Wang Zhigang briefed the Dominican side on the development of STI in China and said that the Chinese government puts STI at the center of national development. He noted that China‘s science and technology development is open and inclusive and STI cooperation plays an increasingly important role in the co-building of the Belt and Road and the development of global partnerships. Minister Wang Zhigang remarked that since China and Dominica established diplomatic relations, leaders of the two countries have formulated top-level designs for cooperation in various fields and that the Chinese side is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in science and technology with the Dominican side, boost exchanges between governments, industries, universities and research institutions of the two countries by establishing intergovernmental science and technology cooperation mechanisms, and promote practical cooperation in agriculture and other fields under the framework of the Action Plan for Belt and Road Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation.

Minister Alejandrina Germán appreciated China’s achievements in STI and pointed out that Dominican leaders attach great importance to STI cooperation with China. She said that the Dominican side hopes to learn from China‘s experience in science and technology development, strengthen exchanges of research personnel, and promote the establishment of mutually beneficial relations between universities and enterprises of the two sides.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the Agreement on Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation between the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Dominican Republic.

Director-General Ye Dongbai of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology attended the meeting.