Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang visited Sweden
2017/09/05

At the invitation of Swedish Higher Education and Research Minister Helene Hellmark Knutsson, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang, led a delegation to visit Sweden from August 30 to 31. Minister Wan Gang and Minister Knutsson co-chaired the 4th meeting of China-Sweden Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, with attendance of Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou, Science and Technology Counselor Dai Gang.

Minister Wan Gang and Minister Knutsson jointly reviewed China-Sweden scientific and technological innovation cooperation since the last joint meeting, commended the important role played by China-Sweden cooperation in scientific and technological innovation in the overall bilateral relations and expressed the intention to further strengthen the scientific research innovation cooperation between the two countries.

During the Joint Committee meeting, Minister Wan Gang introduced China's overall situation and important results in promoting the implementation of innovation-driven development strategy, especially during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Minister Wan Gang expressed the willingness to cooperate with the Swedish side to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in scientific and technological innovation to serve the economic and social development of the two countries and bring benefits to the two peoples. Minister Knutsson briefed the Chinese side on the Swedish science and technology innovation policy and the latest developments.

Representatives of the two sides reviewed the cooperation and exchange between the two countries in basic research, personnel exchange and life sciences (biomedicine), renewable energy, new generation of ICT and new materials. On the basis of stocktaking the existing achievements, the two sides have exchanged views on the areas of future cooperation priorities such as Arctic scientific research, life sciences, traffic safety, climate change and smart cities, and agreed to develop new models of cooperation in the above areas, Including encouraging research institutions and enterprises to build a cooperative alliance with 2 + 2 model, building joint research centers and labs in both areas of advantage, as well as encouraging both sides to carry out cooperation in cross-border site development for entrepreneurship of the masses.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People 's Republic of China and the Innovation Agency of the Kingdom of Sweden (Vinnova) on China-Sweden Scientific and Technological Innovation Cooperation, which provided new opportunities for lifting the level of scientific and technological innovation cooperation between China and Sweden.

During the visit, Minister Wan Gang also met with Swedish Energy Minister Ibrahim Baylan, and visited the Smart City Sweden Hammarby. Minister Wan Gang expressed support for Sweden to hold the next Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) to continue to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of clean energy with Sweden.