On December 1, 2016, the 42nd Session of China-Czech Science & Technology Cooperation Committee was held in Prague, the capital of Czech. The meeting was jointly chaired by Yin Hejun, the Chinese Chair of the Committee and Vice-Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ivan Wilhelm, the Czech Chair and Special Envoy of the Government of the Czech Republic for European Research of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

At the meeting, the Chinese side briefed the Czech side on the latest development in science and technology, progress in science and technology program management reforms, and international cooperation in science and technology in China and made a special introduction of the “Belt & Road” cooperation plan for science and technology innovation, the First China-Central and Eastern European Countries Conference on Innovation Cooperation and the G20 Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers Meeting. In addition, the Chinese side also briefed the Czech side on a series of measures which the Chinese government has taken to deepen science and technology system reforms and support the innovation-driven development strategy. The Czech side briefed the Chinese side on the research management system, developments in science and technology innovation, construction of centers of excellence and international cooperation in science and technology in Czech and made a special introduction of the progress in Czech’s participation in large-scale research infrastructure construction in the European Union.

At the meeting, the two sides had full exchanges and reached wide consensus on deepening bilateral cooperation in science and technology innovation and other topics. The two sides agreed that they should strengthen bilateral dialogues on strategic policy, fully leverage the China-Czech Inter-governmental Committee on Science & Technology Cooperation mechanism and the “16+1” cooperation platform, incorporate other science and technology-related government departments, research institutions, universities and local science and technology management departments in both countries into the China-Czech Intergovernmental Committee on Science & Technology Cooperation mechanism and continuously enrich bilateral cooperation in science and technology innovation. The two sides also agreed to increase inputs into joint R&D, expand exchanges and cooperation between their research personnel, actively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Support of Joint Research and Development signed between the two countries under the witness of their heads of state, built joint laboratories or R&D centers and establish platforms for bilateral science and technology cooperation.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the Protocol of the 42nd Session of China-Czech S&T Cooperation Committee.