（Photo by Jin Shuai/MOSTIC）

On May 25, 2018, the 37th Session of China-Poland Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee was held in Beijing. The meeting was co-hosted by Ye Dongbai, Director-General of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and Juliusz Szymczak-Gałkowski, Director of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.

Director General Ye Dongbai briefed the Polish side on the science and innovation plans put forward at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, latest restructuring of the Ministry of Science and Technology, China‘s science and technology development and international cooperation. Director General Ye stressed that the Chinese government will follow up on its innovation-driven development strategy, strengthen the management of basic research, applied basic research and research commercialization, and get more involved into the global innovation network. With the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the maturing of the“16+1 cooperation”mechanism, there will be broad prospects for China-Poland cooperation in science and technology.

Director Juliusz Szymczak-Gałkowski said that the Polish side closely follows the practice and progress of science and innovation in China and sees China as an important partner for science and technology. He briefed the Chinese host on the ongoing reforms of Poland’s innovation law and research system, especially the establishment of a research network named after the late well-known Polish chemist Ignacy Łukasiewicz and the functions of the newly established Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange. The Polish side said that after the reforms, Poland will increase its research inputs into universities and research institutions and provide more support for international cooperation in science and technology, especially for young researchers to engage in international exchanges.

The two sides exchanged in-depth views on deepening cooperation in the fields of science and innovation, and reached wide agreement. Both sides agreed to continue to innovate the way in which the regular meeting is held and incorporate relevant government departments, research institutions, universities and enterprises into the China-Poland Intergovernmental Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation, and strengthen the coordinating role of the Committee; further enhance people-to-people exchanges, explore the co-sponsorship of China-Poland forums, workshops and other events; and set up China-Poland working groups on science and technology cooperation in various fields, which report to the China-Poland Intergovernmental Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation.

The two sides reviewed the projects endorsed at the 36th Session of China-Poland Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee, deliberated on and adopted new bilateral intergovernmental projects on science and technology exchanges, involving materials, ecological protection, machinery, energy and agriculture. After the meeting, the two sides signed the Protocol of the 37th Session of China-Poland Scientific and Technological Cooperation Committee.