China, Russia accelerate joint planning for 2020-21 sci-tech innovation
China and Russia are accelerating the
formulation of implementation plans for the China-Russia year of scientific and
technological innovation in 2020-21, in a bid to achieve more results from
cooperation in the sector, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
The national-level project makes clear the key areas
for bilateral cooperation, showcasing the two countries’ strong will and firm
determination to continuously boost cooperation and improve bilateral
relations, Geng Shuang, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said at a
regular press briefing on Wednesday.
“Russia has advantages in basic research and
original innovation, while China is going into the global arena in aspects such
as telecommunications, satellite navigation, drones and supercomputing. They
can cooperate to jointly improve technological capability and international
competitiveness,” Geng said.
Recent years saw the two countries achieve results
in fast-breeder reactors and long-haul wide-body aircraft, and there is huge
potential for research cooperation in telecommunications technology, artificial
intelligence and the Internet of Things.
“As the international game is focused in the
Asia-Pacific, joining forces by the two powers will help maintain stability and
peace in the region,” Li Xing, an international relations professor at
Beijing Normal University, told the Global Times.
Li said the science and technology cooperation
between the two is also driven by their domestic needs for economic development.
Superficially, the US has initiated a trade war
with China and imposed economic sanctions against Russia, but on a deeper
level, the US aims to contain their technological advances, Li said.
Taking the opportunity of scientific and
technological innovation year, while focusing on the target of $200 billion in
trade, China and Russia will keep advancing practical cooperation in all areas
and building closer business ties, the Ministry
of Commerce said on December 12.
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