International R&D Cooperation

China's National S&T Conference was convened at the beginning of last year and the "Outline of National Medium- and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020)" was issued meanwhile. The Outline identifies innovation as a new national strategy and the goal of advancing China into the rank of innovative countries by 2020.

The globalization has resulted in an interdependence between countries never seen before, so international cooperation factors significantly into China's R&D agenda. The Governmental S&T cooperation between China and other countries is reformed to the present environment of joint investment and research on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. China hopes to attentively and elaborately organise key international S&T cooperation projects, mobilise enthusiasm from all sectors of the economy, and encourage joint financing from governmental departments, research institutes and enterprises for international S&T projects.

China-EU S&T cooperation has witnessed rapid progress since establishment of diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago. The valuable cooperation that exists between China and the EU is producing mutually beneficial results for the advancement of global society. Both China and the EU have identified scientific research and development as a driver of economic success and sustainability, and expressed the common wish to further the EU-China Science and Technology partnership while the National Medium- and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan of China and the Seventh Framework Programme of the EU provided a new opportunity to carry out cooperation of strategic importance.