Sino-US Sci-Tech Cooperation Well Grounded: White House Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 17, 2001

Sino-US Sci-Tech Cooperation Well Grounded: White House Official

The science and technology cooperation between the US and China is well grounded, and environmental protection and energy sources will be the main fields for cooperation in the future, says Dr Paul Anastas, senior analyst from the White House Office of Science and Technology, at the ongoing 21st Century USA-China Economy Trade Technology Forum held in Washington, December 15.

Four aspects of cooperation

Sci-tech exchanges between the two countries would mainly focus on four aspects, namely, environmental protection, energy utilization, commercial cooperation and sustainable development, according to Anastas.

The environmental protection includes making environment standards, eliminate environmental elements leading to diseases, and adoption of advanced techniques. The energy fields contain development of clean coal and raising the energy utility in buildings. The sustainable development covers promotion of sustainable agriculture, making sustainable development policies, as well as developing commercial projects of the US's green chemical techniques.

Ever visited China many times, Anastas holds that the sci-tech cooperation between the two countries is well grounded. In 1979 China and the US signed the first cooperation framework agreement, and a joint committee was set up to study cooperation opportunities. This is included in the first-batch of agreements signed after the two countries established diplomatic ties, stressed Anastas.

Three key tendencies in the US

He also pointed out the three key tendencies in the current US sci-tech development: first is attacking terrorism, the second is the study on climate changes and the third is to ensure a balance of different fields in sci-tech development.

The Forum is co-sponsored by the World Union of VIP Enterprises, Chinese Association of Science and Technology-USA and supported by a few other institutions.

Backgrounder -- Dr Paul Anastas

Dr. Paul Anastas serves in the National Security and International Activities Division in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. His Responsibilities include furthering the science and technology relationship between the U.S. and China. In addition to bilateral international activities, Dr. Anastas is responsible for furthering international public-private cooperation in areas of Science for Sustainability such as Green Chemistry. In the area of international water science and technology, Dr. Anastas coordinates the interagency working group to identify areas of cross agency collaboration.

Prior to coming to OSTP in October of 1999, Dr. Anastas served as the Chief of the Industrial Chemistry Branch of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since 1989. During that period he was responsible for regulatory review of industrial chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act and the development of rules, policy and guidance. In 1991, he established the industry-government-university partnership Green Chemistry Program which was expanded to include basic research and the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Prior to joining the U.S. EPA, he worked as an industrial consultant to the chemical industry in the development of analytical and synthetic chemical methodologies.

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