On September 18, 2020, the 24th Regular Meeting of the Science and Technology Cooperation Subcommittee of the China-Russia Prime Ministers’Regular Meeting Committee was held via videolink between Beijing and Moscow. Vice Minister of Science and Technology Huang Wei and Russian Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Lyulin Sergey Vladimirovich co-chaired the meeting.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues including science, technology and innovation (STI) policies, cooperation prospects, China-Russia Year of Science, Technology and Innovation, cooperation under the framework of mega-science facilities, large cooperation projects, scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian universities, and China-Russia joint exhibitions.

Vice Minister Huang Wei noted that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era continues to grow at a high level. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Russia have pulled together and supported each other in combating the virus, and thus forged a stronger bond of friendship. As agreed by the two presidents, the years 2020 and 2021 are the China-Russia Year of Science, Technology and Innovation. To deliver the consensus of the two presidents, the two sides launched the China-Russia Year of Science, Technology and Innovation via videolink on August 26. President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin both sent letters of congratulations to the event. Vice Premier Sun Chunlan and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova attended the opening ceremony. The China-Russia Year of Science, Technology and Innovation offers an excellent opportunity for the two sides to strengthen joint research, promote the joint establishment of research institutes, facilitate the two-way flow of talents and expand cooperation in technological industries, thus injecting new impetus into the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Deputy Minister Lyulin Sergey Vladimirovich expressed satisfaction with the progress in China-Russia STI cooperation, and support for the Chinese side’s suggestions on deepening cooperation. He said that the Russian side is willing to further mutually beneficial cooperation with China under the framework of the China-Russia Year of Science, Technology and Innovation in the fields of personnel exchange, large projects and mega-science facilities.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the Protocol of the 24th Regular Meeting of the Science and Technology Cooperation Subcommittee of the China-Russia Prime Ministers’ Regular Meeting Committee.

Attending the meeting were representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Association of Sino-Russian Technical Universities, and the Chinese Embassy in Russia; and representatives from the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the Russian Science Foundation, the Russian International Union of Instrument Manufacturing and Information Technology Experts, the International Analytic Center for Science and Education Projects, the Science Park for China-Russia Friendship, and the Russian Embassy in China.

The two sides agreed to hold the 25th Regular Meeting of the Science and Technology Cooperation Subcommittee of the China-Russia Prime Ministers’Regular Meeting Committee.