BUENOS AIRES, April 23 -- Argentina and China concluded Thursday the fifth meeting on biotechnology cooperation, as a follow-up of a cooperation agreement signed in 2012, the country's Agriculture Ministry said Thursday.

The work meeting kicked off on Monday in Argentina's northern Chaco province, where a Chinese delegation was allowed to visit various production centers throughout the week.

"For Argentina, it is very important not just to advance in dialogue on matters of regulation and public perception, but also to promote cooperation between research institutes and companies from both countries in developing new transgenic events," said Oscar Solis, the ministry's undersecretary of New Technologies and Added Value.

The meeting "bolsters the ties of cooperation, not just in trade, but also in scientific and technical areas, allowing us to share experiences in regulatory matters and promote a smooth, mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries (and) enriching the nation's biotechnological outlook," the ministry said.

Shi Yanquan, from China's Agriculture Ministry and head of the delegation, said "With the technological advances, biotechnology is a primary and primordial subject in the 21st century."

It is essential to strengthen ties with other countries in the area of biotechnology, for the well being of mankind and based on care for the environment, Shi said.