On October 31st, the 2013 China-U.S. Executive Secretaries’ Meeting on S&T Cooperation (ESM) was held in the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The meeting was co-hosted by the executive secretaries of the two countries: Mr. Ma Linying, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation of MOST, and Mr. Margolis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of U.S. Department of State. Representatives from relevant departments of the two sides attended the meeting and delivered their speeches.
Deputy Director General Ma Linying remarked that S&T cooperation was an important force in pushing forward China-U.S. relations. The two countries have launched practical cooperation in S&T areas, including energy, agriculture, environment, health, meteorology, marine and fishery, metrology measurement standards, basic research, seismic and geological sciences, forestry, transportation, clean cook stoves etc. A framework featuring “extensive areas, multiple layers, various partners, clear focus and high standard” has taken shape. Mr. Ma hoped that the two countries could make full use of the synergy between governments, enterprises and universities, promote cooperation through joint working groups, joint research centers and people-to-people exchange mechanisms, as well as facilitate industrialization of research findings, in an effort to contribute to the new model of major-country relations between China and the U.S.
Deputy Director General Ma Linying and Deputy Assistant Secretary Margolis respectively introduced the priority S&T areas and R&D strengths of both countries, and reviewed the cooperation progress  since the 14th China-U.S. Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation (JCM). Representatives from both sides gave their speeches on relevant fields and proposed Action Plans for the next phase.
Representatives on the Chinese side came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Land and Resources, Ministry of Transport, National Health and Family Planning Commission, General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine, State Forestry Administration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Earthquake Administration, China Meteorological Administration, National Natural Science Foundation of China, State Oceanic Administration, local S&T departments of Jiangsu and Shandong, as well as Chinese Embassy in the United States; while U.S. representatives came from U.S. Department of State, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Embassy in China.
Since two governments signed the China-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement in January 1979, China-U.S. S&T cooperation has achieved considerable development. In May 2012, the 14th China-U.S. Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation was held in Beijing. As an important follow-up meeting of JCM, this ESM will coordinate and promote S&T cooperation between the two countries.