Hu Jintao Meets Representatives of CAS Member Symposium

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Academic Divisions of CAS, the CAS Member Symposium on Following Independent Innovation Road with the Chinese Characteristics was held in the Great Hall of the People. Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission met the representatives and delivered an important speech. Hu Jintao stressed that science and technology are the decisive force in economic and social development in the current world and innovation is a core part of a country's competitiveness.

Lu Yongxiang Meets John Campbell, Newly-elected IAC Executive Director

On June 20, Lu Yongxiang, Co-Chair of IAC and President of CAS held talks with Dr. John Campbell, Executive Director of the InterAcademy Council (IAC), in Beijing, who was on a visit to China. President Lu made some suggestions on how to closely combine the projects launched by IAC with research projects of CAS, and with the Millennium Development Program of the U.N. and efforts made by the international organizations, such as the World Bank, IAP, and TWAS. President Lu stressed that in projects designing, IAC should give priority to consider the strengthening of capacity building in science and technology of the developing countries, and march forward on the road of joint development and make contributions to creating a better world scientifically.

Chen Zhu Elected Foreign Academician of French Academy of Sciences

Chen Zhu, Member and Vice President of CAS and Director of the Shanghai Institute of Hematology, was elected as a Foreign Academician of the French Academy of Sciences recentl y. Claudie Haignere, former French Minister of Research and Technology, commented that Chen Zhu has made major contributions to the development of medicine in the world and the exchanges and cooperation between China and France in medicine.

Beijing Hosts International Congress of History of Science

On July 24, the science historians from all over the world met in Beijing for the 22 nd International Congress of History of Science, their common grand gathering. During the meeting, in addition to more than 60 academic sessions themed on globalization and diversity, the congress issued the Beijing Declaration on Economic Globalization and Cultural Diversity.

The declaration appealed to all state politicians, decision-makers of relevant departments, public and private institutions devoted to science, education and culture, the press and the wide range of intellectuals to pay more attention to the research, study, publicity and utilization of science history, encourage global cooperation in science and share of knowledge, strengthen the protection of the cultural and scientific heritages in their native countries and the local areas, and promote the communication between scientists and the humanities scholars.

It is pointed out in the declaration that our optimistic attitude towards the globalization does not deny the cultural differences in different areas and ethnic groups. When globalization comes, the national characteristics of different ethnic groups and cultural differences will surely remain. The diversity of human culture makes the world more colorful, and thus it has become an indispensable factor in the spiritual life of the mankind.