January 15, 2007
No. 7
The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade, and Xu Guanhua,
China's Minister for Science and Technology, today signed a Science and Technology
(S&T) Cooperation Agreement that will boost collaborative research and development
activities between the two countries.
"Now more than ever before, the world economy is driven by innovation," said Minister
Emerson. "This agreement is a recognition that both Canada and China are world
leaders in science and technology. It will encourage researchers and businesses from
our two countries to work together, share expertise and forge new partnerships."
The Agreement will promote greater collaboration in research and development
between Chinese and Canadian academics, and both private and public sector
researchers and innovators. This will be accomplished through measures such as a
mechanism to facilitate public and private sector investment in joint S&T initiatives. The
work conducted under the Agreement will initially focus on four priority areas: energy,
the environment, health and life sciences, and agricultural foods and bioproducts.
One of the key aims of the Agreement is to help Canadian innovators and
entrepreneurs bring their work to market more quickly. The Agreement will also provide
a strong measure of protection for intellectual property and foster enhanced
government-to-government dialogue in this area.
Minister Emerson, along with James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary for the Pacific
Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, is leading a trade mission to China
from January 14 to 19, 2007, accompanied by a delegation of Canadian researchers
and business leaders from the green technologies sector. The visit includes stops in
Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen Canada's
overall commercial relationship with China by establishing high-level contacts with key
government and private sector decision makers and showcasing Canadian expertise in
key sectors.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
http://www.international.gc.ca
Zhang Chaofeng
Canadian Embassy in Beijing
86-10-6532-3536, ext. 3267
chaofeng.zhang@international.gc.ca
Backgrounder
CANADA-CHINA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
New, cutting-edge technology is increasingly a team effort, with scientists, researchers
and firms joining forces across borders to create, shape and market innovative
products and applications.
In Canada, our researchers and high-tech firms have much to gain by tapping into the
work being done around the world to drive technology into the future. In the meantime,
as one of the world's fastest-growing economies, China is becoming a key player in
high technology. Some key facts to consider:
Since 2004, China has been the world's largest exporter of information and
communication technology products;
China is now home to twice as many young professional engineers as the United
States; and
China has recently pledged to spend the equivalent of over US$111 billion in
research and development by 2020.
As part of this drive to the top, China-like Canada-is forging partnerships with a
range of nations to tap into the exciting, cutting-edge research and technology being
developed worldwide. The Canada-China Science and Technology (S&T) Cooperation
Agreement is a result of these mutual efforts.
Initial cooperation under the Agreement, which is aimed at enhancing research
between academia, industry and government, is expected to target four sectors:
energy;
the environment;
biotechnology and health; and
agricultural foods and bioproducts.
A soon-to-be-released Complementarity Study will determine more precisely what focus
will be placed on these four sectors as part of the Agreement. On the energy front, for
example, large Chinese cities have shown considerable interest in Canadian green
technologies such as clean and renewable energy (biofuel, clean coal, hydrogen and
fuel cells), and Canada's innovative solutions to lessen water, air and coastal pollution.
The Agreement will spark new high-tech partnerships that will benefit companies and
researchers in both countries. It will help build networks of Canadian and Chinese
expertise and link the innovative research and development being done in universities,
research institutes and high-tech firms with the people who know how to put it to
marketable use around the world.
The Agreement is also significant because of its intellectual property (IP) provisions. As
China rises toward the top of the value chain, its companies are increasingly concerned
about IP protection. Canadian companies share these concerns. The Agreement will
provide a strong measure of IP protection and foster enhanced government-to-
government dialogue in this important area.
Activities under the Canada-China S&T Agreement will be overseen by a joint science
and technology cooperation committee composed of representatives from the business,
academic and government communities in both countries.
One of the available sources of funding for this agreement will be the International
Science and Technology Partnerships Program administered by Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Canada. Delivered through an arm's-length organization, the
program funds cost-shared research and development projects put forward by industry
and academic research institutions.
