On 4 November 2016, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun met with Turkish Deputy Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Dr. Hasan Ali Çelik, who was in China for the G20 Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers Meeting, at Yanqi Hotel. The two sides had an exchange of views and reached agreement on further promoting China-Turkey cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

Vice Minister Yin welcomed Deputy Minister Çelik to China, and commended Turkey’s contribution to this year’s G20 innovation agenda as last year’s G20 chairman. Vice Minister Yin introduced to the Turkish side the Chinese government’s efforts to deliver the innovation-driven strategy, pointed out that science and technology cooperation is part and parcel of China-Turkey relations, and called on the two sides to support their R&D institutions and scientists in conducting scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges in agriculture, information, energy, biology, materials, space and other key areas. China stands ready to enhance cooperation with Turkey in various fields, expand people-to-people exchanges in science and technology, explore the building of a joint scientific research funding mechanism, and push for deeper cooperation on science, technology and innovation within bilateral and multilateral frameworks like G20.

Deputy Minister Çelik congratulated China on successfully holding the first G20 Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers Meeting, and echoed Vice Minister Yin’s opinions. He said that the Turkish government attached great importance to scientific and technological innovation. In recent years, the government has vigorously developed high-tech industries and scored major achievements in electronic information, nano materials, biology and aerospace. The Turkish government will further deepen cooperation with the Chinese government on science, technology and innovation, strengthen communication and exchanges, and promote deeper growth of China-Turkey relations through cooperation in personnel training, capacity building and joint research.