China promotes sci-tech cooperation along Belt and Road

BEIJING - The Chinese government has released a plan on scientific and technological (S&T) cooperation between China and countries along the Belt and Road.

China plans to set up joint labs, research centers, tech transfer centers and S&T parks with countries along the Belt and Road in the next three to five years, according to a document issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce.

The government also aims to bring over 150,000 S&T personnel from those countries to China for exchanges or training, and expects to receive more than 5,000 young scientists during the same period.

Basic cooperation plans should be made with key countries, and memorandums or agreements signed, the document read.

According to a mid-term objective set in the document, the government will expand S&T cooperation from surrounding countries to a larger region in the next ten years, assisting cooperation platforms and major projects to make progress.

The Belt and Road initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.