The FINANCIAL — Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has today delivered a speech (see link) at the China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai, on EU-China research, innovation and science cooperation.
The Commissioner also presented certificates to graduating CEIBS students. CEIBS was established in 1994 as a joint venture between the European Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. In her speech, the Commissioner called it: "testimony to the excellence that can be achieved when the European Union and China join forces."
She called for "even more collaboration between European and Chinese researchers and businesses". She also highlighted the new committee bringing together the China Atomic Energy Authority and the Commission's Joint Research Centre to collaborate more closely on nuclear safety, partially in response to the recent events in Japan. The Commissioner said she wanted to use her visit to explore with her counterparts in the Chinese government practical ways to increase the participation of EU researchers in Chinese research programmes.
According to Council of Europe, Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn's visit to China aims to further cement EU-China research and innovation cooperation. The Commissioner yesterday met Chinese Science and Technology Minister Wan Gang. On Monday 23 May, she will visit the Huawei Research Centre, Shanghai Technology Innovation Centre and the Danish Innovation Centre in Shanghai, as well as attending a dinner with representatives of EU research operations and industry in China. On Tuesday 24 May the Commissioner will travel to Beijing where she will meet Vice-Minister for Science and Technology Cao Jianlin before having dinner with leading Chinese innovation experts. The following day she will deliver a keynote speech at Tsinghua University on the need for the EU and China to work together to tackle key global problems such as climate change and energy and food security. She will then visit the Europe-China Clean Energy Centre on the Tsinghua Campus and meet representatives of this centre, along with Chinese participants in EU-funded research projects. After a meeting with the Ambassadors of EU Member States to China, she will attend a dinner for Irish business representatives given by the Irish ambassador to China. On Thursday 26 May, Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn will attend a breakfast meeting with the EU Chamber of Commerce in China before meetings with EU researchers, EU science and technology counsellors and the directors of European research organisations.
China has experienced the strongest growth in scientific research of any country over the past three decades and China's investments in R&D are booming: some 580.2 billion RMB (65.1 billion euro) was spent on research and development in 2009, though this accounts still for "only" 1.7% of GDP, a figure below a 2.0% target for this year. China is set to overtake both the US and the EU in terms of numbers of researchers. China has 19.7% of the world’s researchers, whilst the EU has 20.1% and the US 21.9% (2007 figures). The EU-China science and technology agreement signed in 1998 was renewed for further five years in 2009. 218 Chinese partners are taking part in co-operation projects with EU researchers under the EU's Seventh Research Framework Programme.
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