Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics China Established at CAS

On June 18, the launching ceremony for the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics China at CAS (KITPC-CAS) was held on the campus of the Institute of Theoretical Physics (ITP), CAS in Beijing. At the ceremony, Bai Chunli, Executive Vice President of CAS and Prof. David J. Gross, Director of the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) at the University of California, Santa Barbara, jointly signed the cooperation agreement. The Kavli Foundation announced a three-million-US dollar donation as research fund and financial support for research project of the new institute. Prof. Gross is also a Nobel laureate as well as chairman of the first international advisory committee at ITP.

Sino-Japan Summit Roundtable on Science and Technology Convened in Beijing

T he first Sino-Japan Summit Roundtable on Science and Technology convened in Beijing on July 4, 2006. S & T top leaders from corresponding research institutes and universities of Japan and China attended the conference, which focused on “building a resource-efficient and environmentally-friendly society to enhance sustainable development”.

Lu Yongxiang, President of CAS, who is also President of the Association for the S&T and Economic Exchanges between China and Japan attended the meeting and addressed the opening ceremony. Shi Erwei, Vice-President of CAS and Naomasa NAKAJIMA , Vice-President of Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) co-chaired the conference. Participants of the conference focused their discussions on three fields, including energy resources, materials and green production. Cao Jianlin, Vice-President of CAS and President Hiroyuki Yoshikawa of AIST made the closing remarks respectively on behalf of China and Japan at the closing ceremony.-17

Joint Survey to Siberian Area by Chinese and Russian Scientists

CAS scientists arrived at Irkutsk, Russia on July 19 to trigger the field survey in Siberian area jointly with their Russian partners. The 21-day exploration will cover the southern areas of the Siberian Plateau, including Irkutsk Region, Chita Region, as well as Buryat Republic. The scientists will make explorations along different routes in five separate groups focusing on resource, environment, regional economy, lake environment and hydrobiology respectively. There were thirty-two members in the group, including scientists (from five CAS institutes) and journalists.-18