Australia-China scientific collaboration productive (2)

Email|Print|Comments       twitter     facebook     Sina Microblog     reddit    

Chubb said the scientific relationship between Australia and China is not opportunistic.

"It has prospered because each of us brings, and has brought, scientific capacity of quality, and a need, to the relationship, based on quite different intellectual traditions that come together in exciting ways to create new knowledge."

For example, Chinese and Australian engineers and scientists are collaborating on the technology for both Australia's part of the SKA radio telescope in Western Australia and China's new FAST telescope to be built in southwest China.

There are now 885 formal university-to-university partnership agreements in place to support exchange and cooperation between Australia and China, 72 percent more agreements than a decade ago.

Some 2,000 or so Australian students travelled to China to study in 2011, and three Australian universities have established joint campuses in China.

In several fields of research, such as mathematics, engineering and chemistry, China is now Australia's leading partner in collaboration. And it is the second-top source in agricultural and veterinary science and immunology.

Chubb said science is a universal"language"shared by countries and cultures around the world. And many of the problems,for example issues relate to climate, pandemics, antibiotic resistant microbes, influenza, food security, are global in character.

He said both Australia and China have concerns on issues like adapting to changing climate conditions, meeting the healthcare needs of aging populations, the environment, energy and food security and therefore attach research priorities on these issues.

He also anticipated that the Chinese students who have studied in Australia will become a great force in promoting bilateral scientific collaboration in the future.

Chubb noted that China has adopted a new Science and Technology development goal to 2020 covering agriculture, industry, high-tech and the generation of new ideas.

He called for a similar strategy from the Australian government.

We Recommend

• Helicopters, tanks seen during China-Russia joint drill
• Conjoined twins separated in groundbreaking surgery
• Cristiano Ronaldo and his beautiful fans
• Morsi supporters demonstrate near Egyptian embassy in Yemen
• Beijing Int'l Gifts, Premium & Houseware Exhibition opens
• Weekly Sports Photos: A 'Bolt' of lightning flashes across the sky