The 7th session of the China-Egypt joint committee meeting (JCM) on scientific and technological (S&T) cooperation was successfully held in Beijing on the morning of August 15th, 2016. The meeting was convened according to the intergovernmental S&T agreement and the agreed minutes of the 6th JCM. The meeting was co-chaired by Yin Hejun, Chinese Vice Minister of Science and Technology and Essam Khamis, Egyptian Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Both sides introduced the latest developments of China and Egypt. Yin noted that the Chinese government highly values scientific innovation and innovation-driven development. It has become the national strategy since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. In the 13th Five-Year Plan, China will adhere to the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, and continue the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy. The nation will keep on reforms of the S&T system, nationwide entrepreneurship and innovation in a bid to become an innovative country. Yin said the China is willing to share the experience and achievements of scientific development with Egyptian counterparts , and stimulate innovation-driven development together with Egypt.

Deputy Minister Essam Khamis said that Egypt established the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF) in 2007 and this year drafted its national strategic plan on scientific innovation - the Vision 2030. In recent years, Egypt has made great progress in scientific development and international cooperation has been regarded as an important means for capacity building. China has lots of advanced, applicable technologies and is one of the key partners for Egypt. Within the framework of the China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership Program, Egypt would like to further strengthen bilateral scientific cooperation through the present JCM.

The meeting reviewed the bilateral S&T cooperation since the 6th JCM. Both sides were satisfied with the practical cooperation over recent years and determined the main modalities and key areas of cooperation in the next stage. The two countries will launch jointly funded research projects and soon call for project proposals for the year 2017 in the areas of new energy, water, agriculture & food, and health. The two sides also reached multiple consensuses on how to further cooperate in short-term exchange of visits, joint labs, science parks & incubators and the engagement of Egyptian researchers in the Talented Young Scientist Program.

The meeting concluded with the agreement that the next JCM be held in Egypt in 2018.