The third meeting of the commission on cooperation in science of the China-Belarus intergovernmental cooperation committee was held in Beijing and Minsk via video link on November 19, 2020. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Minister of Science and Technology Huang Wei and Chairman of the Belarusian State Committee on Science and Technology Aleksandr Shumilin.

The two sides briefed each other on their respective science, technology and innovation (STI) policies and the status quo of science and technology (S&T) development, reviewed the implementation of the China-Belarus S&T cooperation program for 2019-2020, and reached common understanding on deepening China-Belarus S&T innovation cooperation in the next stage. The two sides agreed to continue to jointly hold S&T exchange activities, carry out cooperation on joint R&D projects, promote the construction of joint laboratories, science parks and other cooperation platforms, and promote research commercialization in cooperation.

Vice Minister Huang Wei briefly talked about the new development vision adopted at the fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to promote S&T development and become a world leader in S&T. He stressed that China will stay committed to open cooperation, make STI plans from a global perspective, integrate itself into the global innovation network, and contribute Chinese wisdom to countering global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Alexander Lukashenko, the China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership is at a high level, featuring mutual trust and win-win cooperation. The two sides should deliver on the agreement of the two presidents, respond to the challenges of the pandemic, deepen practical STI cooperation, and push bilateral ties to a new high.

Chairman Shumilin applauded the achievements of the bilateral cooperation in STI. He said that Belarus stands ready to work with China to further expand S&T people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation on R&D projects based on its own priorities, and supports the two sides in building a long-term platform to push for new progress in STI collaboration.

The meeting concluded with the signing of the Minutes.

As agreed by the two sides, the fourth meeting of the commission on cooperation in science of the China-Belarus intergovernmental cooperation committee will be held in China in 2022.

Principals of the International Cooperation Department of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, China Science and Technology Exchange Center, Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Liaoning Provincial Science and Technology Department, Jilin Provincial Science and Technology Department, the Belarusian State Committee on Science and Technology, the Belarusian Ministry of Education, the Belarusian Innovation Fund and relevant universities and research institutes attended the meeting.