President Lu Yongxiang Appears at 28 th ICSU General Assembly

President Lu Yongxiang was present at the opening ceremony of the 28 th General Assembly of International Council for Scientific Unions held in Suzhou, China on Oct. 18 th , and delivered opening remarks, on behalf of the Chinese Academy of Science and the InterAcademy Council. In his remarks, President Lu pointed out that IAC and ICSU and other international scientific, engineering, and medical organizations submitted a joint announcement last month to heads of States and Governments at the United Nations General Assembly, proposing that it is essential for the human being to strengthen their scientific and technological capability worldwide to relieve poverty and to meet challenges to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.

We feel obliged, right at the Assembly of ICSU, to turn our commitment into actual action to solve many global problems with joint efforts of the international organizations, and to expand the close links of scientists and learning organizations with internet to solve each country's own problems; to encourage national scientific and technological bodies to solve their local specific issues with the aim to give full play of a civilized society in improving public welfare.

President Lu ended his speech by briefing that China indeed had made a worldwide attention achievement in its economic growth over the past two decades, thanking to the opening up and reform policy. However, we are still facing many new challenges, such as issues related to energy and environment, the uneven development of the east and west, and the gaps between the rich and the poor, etc. Today, in accordance with situation of building a harmonious society and implementing sustainable development strategy, we feel there is an increasing need to cooperate even closer with the international organizations to make still greater progress in fields of science and technology and innovation capacity building.

During the Assembly, President Lu met with Dr. John Cambell, Executive Director of IAC, and Prof. Hassan, Executive Director of TWAS, who attended the ICSU Assembly.

Former US Vice President Gore Visits China for Academic Exchange

The US Former Vice President Al Gore had a two-day academic visit to China from Oct. 10 th . Mr. Gore first came to the Graduate University of CAS to deliver an lecture on global climate change. In his speech, Mr. Al Gore once more expressed his support for the Tokyo Protocol, stating that the all countries of the world must reduce greenhouse gas emission which has caused global warming.

Former Vice Premier Li Lanqing and Mr. Lu Yongxiang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and President of CAS met with Mr. Al Gore at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.-