The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has committed to strengthening its collaboration with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) in the fields of agricultural science and technology. This was confirmed during a meeting held on October 14 in Beijing, where CAS Vice President HE Hongping and INRAE Vice President Jean-François Soussana exchanged views on enhancing cooperation, particularly in supporting young scientists and advancing research in areas such as climate change, biodiversity, plant breeding, and sustainable agriculture.

Vice President HE emphasized that this cooperation would foster the development of joint projects and regular exchanges, with a focus on climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and nutrition. He also announced plans to host a series of seminars on agricultural science and sustainable development, reinforcing China and France's bilateral scientific ties. 

Mr. Soussana acknowledged CAS as INRAE’s most important partner in China, highlighting the positive outcomes achieved in plant breeding and soil protection. He expressed optimism about expanding collaboration in key areas such as carbon neutrality and smart agriculture, further strengthening the partnership.

Following the meeting, Soussana participated in the First Sino-French Symposium on Agricultural Science and Sustainable Development, hosted at the Institute of Botany, CAS. Experts from both institutions engaged in discussions on key themes including agroecological crop protection, plant phenotyping, genetics, and artificial intelligence in agriculture.

In his closing remarks, Soussana praised the productive exchanges during the symposium, underscoring the importance of fostering international cooperation, particularly for young researchers. Prof. YANG Wenqiang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Botany, suggested enhancing the frequency of future discussions through online and offline platforms, promoting broader collaboration between the two nations.

The event brought together over 50 experts and students from both countries, alongside representatives from INRAE, the French Embassy in China, and various CAS institutes, further cementing the scientific partnership between China and France.

The Delegation visit to the IBCAS's History Museum (Photo by XUAN Jing@IBCAS) 

The Delegation visit to the IBCAS's Plant Science Data Centre (Photo by XUAN Jing@IBCAS)