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Statement by Minister of State Michelle Müntefering prior to her trip to the People’s Republic of China
The Minister of State issued the following statement today (23 October 2019) prior to her trip to Beijing:
Germany and China have enjoyed close cooperation in the fields of science and technology for over 40 years. Science and research networks promote mutual understanding and trust in international cooperation. This is essential when it comes to finding innovative solutions together for the great global challenges of our time through research and development. In this context, science must be free to address these issues as well as to deal responsibly with the findings and innovations arising from this. It is in Germany and China’s common interest to further intensify this scientific exchange and to continue the dialogue on these issues.
Background information:
Michelle Müntefering, Minister of State for International Cultural Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, is visiting Beijing from 23 to 26 October. In the Chinese capital, she will meet the President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Prof. Hans‑Christian Pape, and the President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Chunli Bai, and open the Humboldt Colloquium, which is taking place in China for the first time in ten years. Under the title “Bonds of Trust – Shaping the Sino‑German Research Network of the Future”, the focus will be on how to shape the German‑Chinese research network of the future. During her visit to Beijing, the Minister of State will also meet Mr Huang Wei, Vice Minister for International Cooperation at the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. A visit to the Goethe‑Institut and talks with representatives from the cultural sphere and civil society are also planned.