China and the US on Tuesday signed several agreements on
expanding bilateral cooperation in science and technology.
Xu Guanhua, China's Minister of Science and Technology, and John
Marburger, Science Adviser to President George W. Bush, signed in
Washington a protocol on extending an inter-governmental agreement
on cooperation in science and technology, and a memorandum of
understanding.
The two officials also exchanged information on newly announced
strategies and plans in their respective countries, aimed at
boosting scientific and technological development.
Also on Tuesday, Xu signed with US Secretary of Health and Human
Services Michael Leavitt a memorandum of understanding on health
and medical sciences cooperation.
The agreement is designed to expand cooperation between the two
countries in research of AIDS, infectious diseases, traditional
medicine, vaccine-preventable diseases and other medical
sciences.
The agreements were signed as Chinese President Hu Jintao
arrived in the US west coast city of Seattle on Tuesday at the
beginning of his first state visit to the US. Seattle is the first
stop of Hu's US trip.
China and the US signed the inter-governmental agreement on
cooperation in science and technology in January 1979.
Since then, scientific and technological cooperation between the
two countries has increased in scope and depth.
(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2006)
