On April 8, 2022, the 6th Meeting of Ministers of Science and Technology of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Tashkent, the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences of the Republic of India Jitendra Singh, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Minister of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China Wang Zhigang, Minister of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic Beishenaliev Almazbek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Umele Amar, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Natalia Bocharova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan Lutfiya Abduhholikzoda, and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming attended the meeting.
The Republic of Uzbekistan is the rotating Chair of the SCO in 2022, and Minister of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ibrahim Abdurakhmanov presided over the meeting.
The meeting was held with the aim of implementing the consensus reached at the 21st SCO Heads of State Council meeting in 2021. The heads of delegations exchanged views in a friendly and pragmatic atmosphere on the science and technology policies of their respective countries and the progress made in science and technology cooperation since the 5th Meeting of the SCO Science and Technology Ministers.
Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang attended the meeting as the head of the Chinese delegation and delivered a speech via video link. Minister Wang Zhigang pointed out that science and technology is penetrating into all aspects of economic development, social progress and human life, and becoming a major factor driving development. With the advances of science and technology, many high technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data and quantum science, will have a wide and far-reaching impact on the production and life of humanity. In recent years, the Chinese government has continuously optimized its science, technology and innovation policies, vigorously implemented the innovation-driven development strategy, and given full scope to the role of science, technology and innovation in supporting the realization of national goals such as promoting high-quality economic development, safeguarding people’s lives and health, and improving the ecological environment. Going forward, China will keep to the “four strategic directions” of science, technology and innovation, uphold the principles of open innovation, and continue to strengthen scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation with other countries.
The participants adopted the Action Plan on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Priority Areas for 2022-2025, the Mechanism for Implementing Joint Multilateral Research and Innovation Projects within the SCO Framework and the Plan of Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence.
The heads of delegations agreed to hold the 7th Meeting of SCO Science and Technology Ministers in India in 2023.
Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jiang Yan (physical attendance), Director-General of the MOST Department of International Cooperation Dai Gang, Director-General of the MOST Department of High and New Technology Chen Jiachang, Director-General of the MOST Department of Science and Technology for Rural Development Lan Yujie, Deputy Director-General of the MOST Department of International Cooperation Chen Linhao, President of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development Zhang Xu, Director-General of China Science and Technology Exchange Center Gao Xiang, Director-General of the Science and Technology Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Paerhati Jialali, Deputy Director-General of the Science and Technology Department of Shaanxi Province Zhao Huaibin also attended the meeting.
