On November 28, 2018, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of the United Kingdom held the 9th Meeting of the China-UK Joint Commission on Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation in London. Zhang Jianguo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Administrator of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China, and Sam Gyimah, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation of the United Kingdom attended the meeting as co-chair of their respective countries.
At the meeting, Vice Minister Zhang Jianguo briefed the British side on China’s science and technology developments and related policies, especially policy measures for the protection of intellectual property rights, integration into the global innovation network and promotion of research talent exchanges and cooperation, as well as efforts to provide a favorable environment for researchers. Minister of State Sam Gyimah briefed the Chinese side on Britain’s industrial strategy, UKRI and forthcoming international cooperation strategy for STI. The leaders of both sides affirmed the progress made in China-UK cooperation in STI and agreed to work together for closer, more efficient, wider and deeper bilateral cooperation in STI, so as to add splendor to the“golden age”of China-UK relations.
During the meeting, the two sides also summarized the achievements made since the last meeting of the Joint Commission, especially since the launch of the China-UK Joint Strategy for STI Cooperation in 2017, and reached consensus on the China-UK Research and Innovation Partnership Fund, the China-UK Flagship Challenge Program and China-UK cooperation in innovation, entrepreneurship and personnel exchanges. The two sides agreed to extend the implementation period of the China-UK Research and Innovation Partnership Fund to 2021 and strengthen top-level design and coordination; designate‘Health and Ageingas’the theme of the China-UK Flagship Challenge Program for 2019, support comprehensive cooperation in this field, and work together to address health and ageing issues through seminars, joint R&D projects and other activities; and further work on helping researchers of the two countries to engage in cooperation between industries, academia and research institutions, and build favorable platforms for exchanges, training and cooperation between researchers and innovative entrepreneurs of both countries. After the meeting, the two sides signed the Minutes of the Meeting. 
The meeting was attended by representatives of the relevant departments and agencies of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, China Association for International Exchange of Personnel, the Science and Technology Section of the Chinese Embassy in Britain, the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of the United Kingdom, UKRI, the Royal Academy of Engineering, Research Councils UK, Innovate UK, the Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom, University UK and the British Embassy in China.