On Tuesday, experts from China and Germany began to exchange views on the development of nanotechnology at a three-day conference in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province.

"The gap between China and western countries in nanotechnology is not very big. China is even leading in some areas," said Jiang Xiaowei, a Ministry of Science and Technology official.

Jiang said companies from the two countries will negotiate on cooperative projects. Germany will invest in nanofertilizer technology, a field in which China is more advanced, he said.

He Jishan, of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said nanoscience will enable people to produce materials and tools on a molecular scale, which will reform information technology, materials, energy, environment, medicine and health, biology and agriculture.

Huang Boyun, president of the Changsha-based Central South University, spoke highly of the application of nanoscience in cancer research, saying that some tumors may be curable in 15 years with its help.

Jiang said he hoped Chinese medical workers will become more aware of the importance of nanotechnology through this conference.

Experts say the economic value of the world's nanotechnology output is expected to exceed US$300 billion by 2010.

The conference is cosponsored by ministries from both countries.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2005)