Ye Dongbai, Director-General of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), led a delegation to Germany during November 11-13, 2019. DG Ye co-chaired the meeting of the China-Germany Working Group on Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation in Intelligent Manufacturing with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF); co-chaired the 4th Steering Committee Meeting of the Sino-German Electric Mobility Cooperation between MOST and the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI); addressed the third China-Germany Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Interconnected Production Process Cooperation. Chen Zhaoxiong, Vice Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ulrich Nussbaum, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), and Engelbert Beyer, DDG of the Directorate General of Research for Digitalization and Innovation of BMBF attended the conference and delivered speeches.

DG Ye Dongbai said at the ministerial conference that China and Germany both attach high importance to cooperation in the field of intelligent manufacturing. The “research institutions + enterprises” model on project funding cooperation initiated by MOST and BMBF had produced effective results in promoting the translation and dissemination of R&D outcomes. The two sides are actively working for the establishment of the “China-Germany Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Alliance on Intelligent Manufacturing”, with the aim of creating an effective public platform linking all parties and providing technical and service support for bilateral cooperation in intelligent manufacturing. DG Ye Dongbai pointed out that there is a good foundation for cooperation in intelligent manufacturing between the two countries. In order to promote cooperation in the future, the two sides should strengthen the people-to-people exchange mechanism; promote the application of new technologies; consolidate innovation clusters; reinforce pilot projects and deepen open cooperation and development.

In order to implement the Joint Program of Action on Cooperation: Shaping Innovation Together jointly issued by Premier Li Keqiang and Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2014, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, MOST, BMWi and BMBF established a bilateral mechanism on intelligent manufacturing and interconnected production process cooperation. During the meeting, the two sides comprehensively reviewed the achievements made in bilateral cooperation over the past year, reached broad consensus on strengthening the linkage between businesses and academia, and highlighted achievements in innovation application and commercialization.   

During the visit, DG Ye Dongbai and DDG Engelbert Beyer of BMBF co-chaired the meeting of the Working Group on Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation in Intelligent Manufacturing, reviewed the achievements of cooperation, shared experiences and looked into the future. The two sides agreed on the next call for proposals, made arrangements for  cooperation to be launched in the field of intelligent manufacturing, and jointly prepared for the Joint Committee Meeting on Scientific and Technological Cooperation to be held next year.

DG Ye Dongbai and DG Klaus Bonhoff of the Department of Policy Issues of BMVI co-chaired the 4th Steering Committee Meeting of the Sino-German Electric Mobility Cooperation between MOST and BMVI. The two sides discussed the development of electric mobility and fuel cell vehicles, shared their policies and strategic plans, listened to presentations on cooperation projects, discussed and agreed on the subject and modality of cooperation for implementing the Joint Statement of Intent signed by the two ministers, and conducted in-depth exchanges on technologies and policy issues of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. DG Ye Dongbai and DG Bonhoff also inaugurated the China-Germany Electric Vehicle Innovation Support Center.