Scientific Collaboration Between EU, China

Tomorrow’s problems might very well be solved from the growing cooperation between the two regions.
China’s rising economy and increased consumption of resources, and Europe’s buoyancy as a union over the coming decades both open doors for collaboration that could lead to producing viable solutions to some of the major hurdles facing nations — including climate change and urbanization — argued leaders from the European Union and China during opening remarks at Science and Technology Week, a four-day conference at the European Union/Belgium joint pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
“China has been successful in the area of science, but there is still more to be done,” said Cao Jianlin, vice minister of science and technology in China. “The future of Sino-European cooperation is in developing our relationship and working together. As a developing country, China must support the European Union to help with our own development.”
Cao’s remarks followed words from Jose Manuel Silva Rodriguez, director general for research of the European Commission, who urged for more funding from the European Union to continue grooming the world’s scientists, and working toward better, more sustainable solutions to global challenges.
“This is not about politics. Research and innovation are absolutely essential to pushing Europe forward after this financial crisis,” said Rodriguez.
Much of funding the European Union is undertaking is coming from Framework Program 7, which, according to Jean-Michel Baer, director for “science, economy and technology” for the European Commission, is one of the biggest scientific funding programs in the world, and given China’s participation — 500 applications during the program’s initial three years, 152 of which were selected — Baer said the EU and China are working toward more equal funding and financing to produce stronger scientific contributions.
A major area for scientific breakthrough will be in solving the challenges connected to global consumption, and according to the panelists, the majority of which will take place in Asia. According to Baer, by 2050, China will have the largest population in the world, and world percentage of GDP in Asia will rise from 17 percent to 40 percent. Europe’s percentage will drop from 25 percent of world GDP to only 15 percent. Speakers said solving tomorrow’s problems of urbanization would rely heavily on the scientific analysis conducted by today’s experts.
“The development of science and technology has never had as much an impact on society as it does now,” said Han Jianguo, director general and professor for the National Natural Science Foundation of China. “China will continue to be a growing contributor to the scientific world. Both the EU and China should attach more importance to cooperation, with greater trust and more two-way mobility for our young researchers.”
Other speakers for Science and Technology Week included Pierre Laconte, president of the Foundation for the Urban Environment, Ma Zhong, dean and professor at the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Renmin University, and Pierre Valette, director general for research at the European Commission


　By Zachary Franklin---China-Files