On November 26, 2018, Zhang Jianguo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Administrator of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs held talks with Mr. Jean-Eric Paquet, Director-General of DG RTD of the European Commission during his visit to the European Union. The two sides exchanged views on China-EU cooperation in STI and preparations for the next meeting of the China-EU Steering Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation.

Vice Minister Zhang Jianguo briefed Director General Jean-Eric Paquet on China’s plans in the STI field after the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China, affirmed the project cooperation progresses results achieved by the two sides under the joint funding mechanism for STI, and suggested that the two sides should take the opportunity of the next meeting of the China-EU Steering Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation to jointly plan a roadmap for China-EU cooperation in STI and further expand fields of cooperation. Director General Jean-Eric Paquet briefed the Chinese side on the relevant progress of the new EU framework plan“Horizon Europe”, and agreed that the two sides should strengthen cooperation in the next meeting of the China-EU Steering Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation.

He Defang, Director-General of the Department of Policy, Regulation and Innovation System of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and other officials were present at the meeting.