Highlights in Sixty Years History of CAS

First CAS Delegation Visits USSR

A CAS delegation led by Prof. Qian Sanqiang paid the first visit to USSR on Feb. 24, 1952 for 3–months. The delegation was comprised of 26 scientists covering 19 disciplines, aimed to make a survey on how USSR scientific research work was organized and implemented, especially its experience in developing science and technology based on the old foundation after the October Revolution and its present status and development directions. The delegation also exchanged views on scientific cooperation between China and USSR.

Guo Morou Visits Japan: Tour to Mend Links after World War II

In December 1955, Guo Morou led a CAS delegation to visit Japan for the first time after World War II, during which the delegation met Sakata Shyoichi, Vice Chairman of Japan Democratic Scientists Association, professor of Nagoya University and famous nuclear physicist, as well as many other friendly personages in the Japanese S&T community. Since then, Sakata Shyoichi and other friendly personages have become an important driving force to promote the long-term S&T exchanges between China and Japan. Since then, scientists of the two countries have continuously carried out non-government exchange of academic data, mutual visits of researchers in many research fields.

First Student Group for Overseas Study in USSR

On Aug. 12 and 18, 1951, CAS dispatched a group of students, namely Huang Zuqia, Mei Zhentong (female), Feng Kang, Liu Guoguang, Tao Hong, Xie Yuncai and Xu Xurong for oversea studies in former USSR. This was the first time that CAS has dispatched students to study abroad since it was founded. Since then, CAS has dispatched quite a large number of students to study in former USSR and the East European countries. Most of these overseas students later became the backbones of different research institutions in China.

Cooperation with MPS

In 1974, Reimar Lust, President of the MPS of the former West Germany, led a delegation to visit China. Li Xiannian, former Vice Premier met the delegation. The two parties reached an oral agreement, under which the MPS agreed to accept 2-4 Chinese scientists every year to study in MPS for 1-2 years. This is a remarkable event, which opened the door of S&T cooperation between CAS and MPS. In the next 30 years since then, CAS and the MPS have been collaborating in personnel training, exchange of visits, project implementation, co-sponsoring of science conferences, co-establishment of young scientist research teams and partner teams and the co-building of a computational biology partner institute. The cooperation between the two organizations has become a model for international S&T cooperation of CAS.

Active Participation in TWAS Activities

In 1995，Lu Jiaxi, former President of CAS was elected Vice President of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) for the first time. Later, Zhou Guangzhao, member and former president of CAS, Lu Yongxiang, current president of CAS and Bai Chunli, current executive vice president of CAS were elected vice president of TWAS successively. The Scholarship Program for Developing Countries jointly launched by CAS and TWAS since 2004 has fostered 50 doctors, postdoctoral researchers and senior visiting scholars for developing countries every year.

International Cooperation Rooted in Cutting Edge S&T

In 1997，Zhou Guangzhao, former President of CAS and Bruce Alberts, former President of the US National Academy of Sciences reached consensus to initiate the China-US cutting edge science symposium. Now, the symposium has held 11 sessions successively, playing an active role in fostering young and middle-aged academic leaders for the two countries and promoting China-US cooperation in basic science, exchange and cooperation between young and middle-aged scientists from higher education of the two countries. Later, CAS initiated and sponsored frontier cross-disciplinary symposiums between China and Australia, Japan, Germany, France, UK and Netherland. These symposiums have promoted international exchange with scientists from countries of advanced S&T developments, hatched new disciplinary growing points and fostered young talents.

Co-establishment of China-foreign Joint Research Institutions

On Oct. 11, 2004, the opening ceremony for the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai was held. Chirac, President of France, Chen Zhu, Vice President of CAS and Tang Dengjie, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, jointly unveiled the nameplate of the Institute. In December 2004, CAS and MPS co-established Partner Institute for Computational Biology (PICB), which is subordinated to the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS, boasting the first institute for computational biology in China. There are three laboratories in this institute and the three directors of the laboratories exercise the function of directorship of the institute by turns.

Co-Chair of IAC and IAP

Lu Yongxiang, President of CAS was elected Co-Chair of InterAcademy Council (IAC) in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009. In the same year, Chen Zhu, then Vice President of CAS was elected Co-Chair of IAP and served for two terms.

Exceptional Role in Academies of Science for G8+5 Countries

Since 2005, CAS has actively participated in the Meetings of Presidents of Academy of Sciences for the G8+5 countries and been involved in preparation and drafting of statements of Academy of Sciences for the G8+5 countries on relevant international issues of interest. CAS consistently focuses on energy, climate change, newly emerging diseases, international immigration and other hot international issues, clearly expresses its opinions, safeguards and struggles for the national interests and makes significant contributions to reach relevant statements.

Initiation of “Inter-Academies Cooperation Mechanism under SCO Framework”

In 2008, the “Cooperation Mechanism Among Academies of Sciences under the Frame of Shanghai Cooperation Organization” was formally established in Urumqi in accordance with the proposal of CAS. This cooperation mechanism aims to promote personnel training, scientist exchange and project cooperation among national scientific research institutions in the region.