On February 28, 2019, the 12th Meeting of China-Austria Joint Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation in Science and Technology was held in Vienna, Austria. The meeting was co-chaired by Ye Dongbai, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and Barbara Weitgruber, Director General of the Department of International Cooperation of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research of Austria. Representatives from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, Austrian Research Promotion Agency and Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research attended the meeting.

At the meeting, Director-General Ye Dongbai briefed the Austrian side on China??s innovation-driven development strategy, pointing out that China has continuously strengthened its innovation capacity and open cooperation, and significantly enhanced its STI capabilities. He said that China will further strengthen science and technology development planning, improve its national innovation system, implement major science and technology projects, actively play a leading role in launching international megascience programs and projects, and continue to deepen international cooperation in science and technology in the future. Director General Barbara Weitgruber introduced to the Chinese side the policies, strategies and developments of STI in Austria and the EU, pointing out that Austria attaches great importance to the development of STI and has one of the world?痵 highest STI investment as a percentage of GDP. She said that as a member of the EU, Austria seeks to play an active role in the EU Horizon 2020 and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China within bilateral and multilateral frameworks. 

The two sides reviewed China-Austria cooperation in STI, and discussed the 2020-2021 China-Austria Science and Technology Cooperation Work Plan and the call for proposals for 2019. The two sides identified the following areas for cooperation: information communication, quantum information, intelligent manufacturing, healthcare, renewable energy, food, agriculture and biology, and environment and smart city. After the meeting, the two sides signed the Minutes of the 12th Meeting of China-Austria Joint Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation in Science and Technology.

The China-Austria Agreement on Intergovernmental Cooperation in Science and Technology was signed in 1984. In accordance with the Agreement, the two sides have established the mechanism of China-Austria Joint Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation in Science and Technology. The meetings of the Joint Commission are held alternately between China and Austria. So far, 12 Joint Commission meetings have been held.