On December 11, 2017, Minister Wan Gang of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) met in Beijing with a delegation led by Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Minister Wan Gang congratulated Steiner on his election as UNDP Administrator and affirmed the cooperation between MOST and UNDP in the fields of fuel cell vehicle demonstration and technical task forces for agriculture. Minister Wan Gang briefed the guests on the measures which China has adopted for poverty alleviation through science and technology, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change and sustainable development. Minister Wan expressed the hope of strengthening cooperation with UNDP in the field of science, technology and innovation, sharing the Chinese experience, and helping the least developed countries and small island countries to enhance their capacity to adapt to climate change. 

Administrator Steiner appreciated the vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development advocated by the Chinese government, affirmed UNDP’s cooperation with MOST within the frameworks of South-South Cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative, pointing out that UNDP shares the same vision with MOST for eliminating poverty, adapting to and mitigating climate change and providing economic development opportunities. Administrator Steiner said that UNDP attaches great importance to the adoption of innovative technology in poverty alleviation, welcomes MOST to participate in UNDP’s future laboratory design and planning, and may consider setting up a branch of its future laboratory in China.     

Before the meeting, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Science and Technology and the United Nations Development Programme. According to the Memorandum of Understanding, MOST and UNDP will collaborate in the fields of knowledge, technology and innovation sharing along the Belt and Road, international exchanges and transfer of innovation technology, innovation demonstration zones for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and South-South Cooperation Platform for Sustainable Development. 

Other MOST officials present at the meeting included Director-General of S&T for Social Development Wu Yuanbin, Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation Chen Linhao and Deputy Director-General of High-tech Development and Industrialization Xu Chaoqian.