In 24-31 March, Dr. Mei Xurong, Vice President of CAAS led a delegation to Belgium and Switzerland and engaged in dialog and exchanges on agricultural science and technology cooperation with European counterparts.

In Belgium, the delegation participated in the China-EU Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology Task Force Meeting and Expert Seminar; over 20 Chinese experts from several entities of China, experts and representatives from famous European research institutes, such as INRA and Wageningen University, and representatives of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development participated in the event. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice President Mei Xurong and Madame Nathalie Sauze-Vandevyver, Director of Research and Innovation, Outreach, DG Agriculture and Rural Development. Mr. Wang Hongqian, Deputy Director General of International Cooperation of MARA and Madame Wang Yan, Minister-Counselor of the Mission of China to European Union delivered addresses. At the meeting, both sides had an in-depth exchange of views on key areas of cooperation after 2020, progress of undergoing projects, Horizon Europe, the new round of science and technology innovation program of EU, joint funding mechanism for China-EU scientific research and innovation. On the basis of rich discussions of experts from both sides, five key areas of cooperation were identified, including sustainable agriculture, ecological system service and environment; agricultural waste reuse; healthy and sustainable food production; germplasm resource development and utilization; sustainable forestry development; these will lay a foundation for cooperation on scientific research in food, agriculture and biotechnology after 2020.

During the margin of the meeting, the delegation also visited the China-Belgium Science and Technology Center in Leuven of Belgium to learn about the development of the center and the progress in mechanism innovation, technology transfer, strategic investment and industrial cooperation of the new innovative platform of cooperation; the visit will provide valuable reference for CAAS to build overseas research platform in the future.

In Switzerland, the delegation participated in the 11th Joint Steering Committee Meeting of MARA-CABI Joint Laboratory for Biosafety , chaired by Dr. Ulrich Kuhlmann, CABI's Executive Director for Global Operations; CAAS Vice President Mei Xurong and Deputy Director General Wang Hongqian from the MARA delivered opening remarks, and Mr. Hariet Hinz, Country Director of CABI's Swiss center made a presentation on the course of development and current status of the Swiss center. The meeting reviewed the key work of the joint laboratory for 2018 and the work plan and budget for 2019 and had an in-depth discussion on the development strategy of the joint laboratory, the implementation of the European laboratory and the development and expansion of the cooperation projects; both sides reached initial agreement on funding and staffing for the construction of the European laboratory. The unveiling ceremony of the MARA-CABI European Laboratory was held during the meeting, marking the start of the official operation of the laboratory. In addition, the delegation met with representatives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and exchanged views on promoting cooperation with Swiss center of CABI and the development of the European Laboratory.

Dr. Zhou Xueping, Director of the Institute of Plant Protection, Dr. Li Sijing, Party Secretary, Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Dr. Yin Hong, Director of the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Dr. Liu Rongle, Director of the Agro-Environmental Protection Institute and Dr. Hao Weiping, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation participated in the above-mentioned activities.

By Zhang Shuang (zhangshuang@caas.cn)