Beijing Institute of Genome Inaugurated by Yongxiang Lu, CAS President

An inauguration ceremony was held on the morning of 28 May, officially declaring the establishment of the Beijing Institute of Genome, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Among those present at the ceremony were Yongxiang Lu, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of CAS, Zhu Chen, Vice-President of CAS, and Yiyu Chen, President of the National Natural Science Foundation. President Yongxiang Lu and Vice-President Zhu Chen gave speeches in warm congratulation of the official establishment of CAS's Institute of Genome.

30th Anniversary on Scientific Cooperation between CAS and Max Planck Gesellschaft

A celebration of the 30th anniversary of scientific cooperation between the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Die Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Germany, was held on 24 May in Beijing. A delegation visiting China consisting of over 50 German scientists joined a great number of their Chinese counterparts in celebration of the 30th anniversary of science and technology cooperation between China and Germany. Jintao Hu, the Chinese President and Johannes Rau, President of the German Federal Republic sent their congratulation messages respectively.

In his letter President Jintao Hu said: "Over the centuries the advancement of science and technology greatly promoted Mankind's understanding and exploitation of Nature, while strongly enhancing the exchange and cooperation between nations and civilizations at the same time. With 30 years of joint efforts between the governments and scientists of China and Germany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Die Max-Planck-Gesellschaft have made remarkable achievements in scientific and technological cooperation, setting an excellent example for international science and technology cooperation."

President Johannes Rau praised in his letter that the cooperation between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Die Max-Planck-Gesellschaft was an excellent example for international academic cooperation, and pointed out that scientific cooperation is an important means for improving mutual understanding between countries.

Over the past 30 years, the cooperation between CAS and Die Max-Planck-Gesellschaft covered numerous fields including astrophysics, astronomy, space science, nuclear physics, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, plant physiology, evolution biology, chemistry, geoscience, resource and environment science, mathematics and systems science as well as the history of science. The cooperation grew from the initial short-term exchanges of personnel into joint-research projects on longer terms between the Chinese and German scientists to make exploration into science and technology issues. Together they expanded the research fields, held high level symposiums, promoted the science and technology cooperation between the two countries and participated in research cooperation with third countries. The effort took on forms favorable for closer cooperation as well: six junior scientists groups and nine partner groups were established by the two sides, a research center has been established, and a new research institute is being scheduled by the two sides.

Agreement on 2nd Phase Sino-Japan Cooperation for Capital Ring Environmental Protection Demonstration Base Signed in Beijing

The 21st Century Capital Ring Environmental Protection Demonstration Base of China is a program jointly sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Japan Global Afforestation Center and Japan Toyota Corporation, aimed at afforestation of large areas in the desertized areas in the Fengning Manchurian Autonomous County, Hebei Province, by means of science and technology to check the winds and fix the sand, to control the water and soil losses, and to improve the environment on the peripherals of Beijing. There have been good achievements since the 1st Phase of the "Program" was launched three years ago. On 2 April, a signing ceremony for the 2nd Phase Sino-Japan Cooperation for the "21st Century Capital Ring Environmental Protection Demonstration Base of China" was held at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing. Present at the occasion were Erwei Shi, Vice-President of CAS, Enhua Song, Governor of the People's Government of Hebei Province, Toyota Akio, Senior Managing Director of Toyota Motor Corporation, Takahashi Nario, Chairman of the Japan Global Afforestation Center, who delivered speeches at the occasion.

New Building of Wuhan Documentation and Information Center Inaugurated by Yongxiang Lu, CAS President

Yongxiang Lu, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences attended a ceremony on 13 April and cut ribbon for the inauguration of the new building of CAS Wuhan Documentation and Information Center and the Hubei Provincial Science Library.

China Science and Humanism Forum

Yongxiang Lu, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of CAS delivered an opening speech at the China Science and Humanism Forum held on 22 April. In his speech he said that over the past more than one year since its formation, the Forum received great support from numerous scientists and humanists as well as from all circles of the society; that the Forum made valuable efforts in promoting the communication between science and humanistic practice, and the combination of the scientific spirit with the humanistic spirit. The scholars that participated in the activities of the Forum made their unique contributions to establishing a scientific concept for development, to finding a way for building a well-off society in all around way, to exploring a socialist road with Chinese characteristics and to the development of education and science in the new century.

Bijian Zheng, a renowned theoretician gave a speech titled The Development Path for China's Peaceful Revitalization. He suggested that over the past 25 years, we initiated an entirely new strategy suitable to China's actual conditions and compatible with our times. Practice show that such a road would adequately represent the historical and international experience, and would represent the people's will and interests. It is a demonstration to the world that the peaceful revitalization of China is a Chinese characteristic of an extremely important significance in the Chinese style socialism led by the Chinese Communists.

At the end of the speech, he emphasized the role of the young students and scientists present at the symposium, saying that in the final analysis, peaceful revitalization is dependent on science. Science provides the solution for China as a Third World country to getting rid of poverty, as well as to maintaining world peace. Science and technology are the driving force for China's peaceful revitalization. The revolution in science and technology can bring about industrial revolution, the revolution in industries as well as the society as a whole.

On the afternoon the same day, Zhensheng Li, a member of CAS and China's renowned geneticist gave a speech titled China's Cereal Grains: Problems, Causes and Countermeasures.