MINSK, 13 October (BelTA) – Belarusian and Chinese scientists intend to step up cooperation in the scientific and economic sphere. The statement was made by First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergei Chizhik before the opening of the Belarusian-Chinese science and technology forum on 13 October, BelTA has learned.
Sergei Chizhik noted: “We have been actively working with our partners from China for a long time. We are developing technical areas such as materials science, physics, and laser technology. Cooperation along the humanitarian vector has been invigorated recently, in particular, cooperation in the sphere of scientific economy.”
The official noted that Alexei Daineko, Director of the Economy Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, will deliver a report during the forum to outline prospects of Belarus-China trade and economic cooperation within the framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Alexei Daineko visited China a short while ago, in particular, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
According to Sergei Chizhik, the creation of the Silk Road Economic Belt leads to a number of new tasks and they need to be discussed. “The discussion is a timely one. We are glad to welcome a delegation from Harbin and Heilongjiang Province here today. We are confident we have a lot to learn from each other. We can get familiar with China’s innovation system, which works very effectively,” he said.
Sergei Chizhik said he was confident that the discussion will be motivated and fruitful. The next day the Chinese delegation will continue familiarization with enterprises at the level of institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and universities. The official explained that specialists in the sphere of electric turbine and ship boiler production represented the bulk of the delegation. “It is no accident. We have the Heat and Mass Transfer Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, which is ready to offer a number of technologies in this area,” he remarked. The Chinese delegation will visit the New Materials Chemistry Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus where a Belarusian-Chinese lab already operates. The delegation will also visit the national center for technology transfer where Belarusian scientists intend to step up mutual cooperation.
The Belarusian-Chinese science and technology forum is held as part of the expo meant to highlight Chinese technologies and innovative products and Harbin’s special mobile expo of China’s R&D accomplishments in Minsk. Participants of the forum are supposed to discuss promising avenues and mechanisms of development of Belarusian-Chinese R&D cooperation. The forum has been organized by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Harbin administration, the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus, and the national center for technology transfer. About 500 experts are expected to take part in the forum.