Minister Wang Zhigang attends the IV China-CELAC STI Forum

　　On September 2, the IV Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation of China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (China-CELAC STI Forum) was held via video link. The Forum was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Argentina, the rotating presidency of CELAC, under the theme of"Promote common development with science, technology and innovation and build a better future with solidarity and collaboration". Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang and Argentine Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Daniel Filmus delivered keynote speeches. The heads of science and technology departments of more than 20 Latin American and Caribbean states, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, the Bahamas, Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay, spoke at the meeting by video link.

　　Wang Zhigang said that China will act on the video message delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Third Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, and push for more practical results in China-CELAC science and technology cooperation in the spirit of South-South solidarity and cooperation. China and CELAC countries face the common tasks of promoting economic recovery, improving people's livelihood and achieving sustainable development. Only by breaking a path through innovation, looking for solutions in science and technology, and seeking openness, innovation and cooperation in science and technology, can we gain the initiative in development and provide strong endogenous power for the country's economic and social development and improvement of people's welfare. China and CELAC countries are now jointly implementing the consensus of the 2021 Forum, such as the establishment of the China-CELAC Sustainable Food Innovation Center and the China-CELAC Technology Transfer Center. China will work together with CELAC countries to build on the complementary strengths and carry out more in-depth, extensive and inclusive cooperation in the STI field, in an effort to tackle the increasingly serious global challenges and foster a China-CELAC elationship for a new era characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people.

　　Daniel Filmus said that the CELAC side applauded the results achieved by both sides through science and technology cooperation, and recognized the important role of the China-CELAC STI Forum as an in-depth, comprehensive and integrated communication mechanism in advancing science and technology cooperation and promoting mutual trust. The participants of CELAC countries acknowledged the advance of science and technology as an important means to promote local economic and social development, and attached importance to strengthening communication and exchanges with China through multilateral and bilateral science and technology cooperation channels. The participants expressed their willingness to further deepen cooperation with China in areas such as clean energy, digital technology, agricultural science and technology, communication and satellite, making a contribution to resolving global challenges and enhancing people's welfare.

　　The participants noted that the China-CELAC STI Forum has held three successful sessions, and that the two sides have reached consensus on increasing exchanges of science and technology personnel, carrying out joint research projects and promoting technology transfer, and agreed on the priorities and means of cooperation. Through the platform provided by the Forum, China and CELAC countries have made notable headway in equal-footed and mutually beneficial science and technology cooperation and achieved visible results by sharing best practices.

　　The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Joint Declaration of the IV Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation of China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. At the meeting, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology signed MOUs with the science and technology authorities of relevant CELAC countries to advance cooperation under the framework of the China-CELAC Sustainable Food Innovation Center. Representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese embassies in Argentina and other Latin American and Caribbean states, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Department, Hainan Provincial Science and Technology Department and Dongguan Municipal Science and Technology Bureau attended the meeting. The diplomatic envoys of relevant Latin American and Caribbean states in China also attended the event online.