On Oct 24, 2016, Secretary General Xu Jianpei of Ministry of Science and Technology attended the opening ceremony of the 2nd ASEM Seminar on Cooperation in Science, Technology & Innovation for Sustainable Development held in Athens, Greece. The meeting brought together 100 plus people together, including Prof. Fotakis, Greek Executive Vice Minister of Technology and Innovation, Zou Xiaoli, Chinese Ambassador to Greece, representatives from European Commission and some member countries of Eurasia Conference.

The symposium was jointly sponsored by Greek Ministry of Education, Technology and Religious Affairs and Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-organized together by Greek Science and Technology Foundation Technology Transfer Center and Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission with an aim to implement advocacy of the Asia-Europe Meeting and tap the potential of Asia-Europe S&T cooperation so as to provide support to sustainable economic growth of both sides.

During his speech, Secretary General Xu Jianpei said that during the 10th ASEM in 2014, Premier Li Keqiang advocated the founding of Asia-Europe S&T Innovation Cooperation Center. Over the past two years, ASEM member countries, especially Greece as a cosponsoring country, have proactively supported the establishment of the center and pushed for the work, immensely promoting exchange and interaction of research and innovation personnel among Eurasian countries. It can be argued that the center is a perfect connection for conducting dialogue, communication, exchange and cooperation between Asia and Europe in the field of scientific and technological innovation, embodying the themes of innovation, interconnection, and integration. He pointed out that following the First Symposium of the Cooperation Center in Beijing last year, the second session is being held in Athens this year and we can further explore how to implement the proposals of ASEM, create a Eurasian S&T Innovation Cooperation Platform and push for practical Eurasia STI cooperation.
   
Secretary General Xu Jianpei said the Center and its branches and coordination agencies in corresponding regions and countries can promote communication and exchange between and among 53 member countries, strengthen mutually-beneficial S&T cooperation between Asia-Europe tertiary institutions, institutes and businesses, realizing extensive, orderly transfer and commercialization of achievements of innovation efforts among Eurasian countries so as to contribute to sustainable economic and social development of all countries.
   
At the opening ceremony, the inauguration ceremony was also held for European Coordination Agency of the Cooperation Center.
   
At the end of the opening ceremony, Secretary General Xu Jianpei, Ambassador Zou Xiaoli and Vice Minister Fotakis held talks and exchanged views, reaching a consensus on broadening exchange and cooperation between China and Greece in areas of relics preservation, marine exploration, geology, practical technology transfer, high and new technology, and personnel exchange.