The European Union (EU) and China launched on Wednesday in
Brussels the China-EU Science and Technology Year, set to feature
an array of activities aimed at promoting cooperation in these key
fields.
Chinese Vice-Minister for Science and Technology, Wu Zhongze,
spoke at the ceremony, saying that China has included strengthening
innovative capability in the country's national development
strategy, and is aiming to make great progress by 2020.
Wu Zhongze also said, over the next 15 years, China's science
and technology development will be closely linked to its economic
development, and play a more significant role in propelling
economic growth.
EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said that
China is quickly becoming a major global player in science and
technology. Research will play a big part in helping people
overcome varied challenges in the future, he added.
He stressed that the China-EU Science and Technology Year will
increase awareness in both China and the EU about the benefits of
cooperation.
The activities will range from conferences, seminars, forums and
exhibitions and areas of cooperation will include health, energy,
the environment, food and bio-technology.
The Science and Technology year, running until September 2007,
coincides with the adoption and start of the EU's Seventh Framework
Program and the renewal of China's 11th 5-Year Plan, both of which focus strongly
on science and technology.
(CRI October 12, 2006)