On February 6, 2018, Huang Wei, Vice Minister of Science and Technology, met with the delegation led by Philip Diamond, Director General of the SKA Organization.

Huang Wei expressed thanks to the delegation for attending the inauguration ceremony for the first prototype SKA dish and affirmed the international R&D collaboration between the two sides over the recent nearly five years. Huang Wei expressed the concerns of the Chinese side regarding matters such as the schedule of the initialing and signing of the International Convention on Observatories, preparation of the governing board, construction of SKA phase I and its operating cost accounting and cost control, and the SKA Organization’s strategic deployments, and reiterated China’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the SKA. Huang Wei also pointed out that as the SKA is an international collaboration project, the member states should, by maintaining the sense of community of common destiny and seeking agreement while reserving differences, cooperate amid competition, seek win-win outcomes in cooperation, and make concerted efforts to advance the SKA project.

Philip Diamond gave replies to all the concerns expressed by Huang Wei and spoke highly of the outstanding performance of the Chinese side in the SKA collaboration, especially with the R&D and inauguration of the first prototype SKA dish, which is a great achievement and milestone of the project. He looked forward to deepening cooperation with China and hoped for sustained support to the SKA project.