Efforts to expand collaboration in the high-tech sphere between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China were high on the agenda for the state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to China. The package of documents signed during the visit on 5 June included a framework agreement on collaboration between the Skolkovo Foundation and Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park (Z-Park). The agreement was signed by president of the Skolkovo Foundation Viktor Vekselberg and general director of the Z-Park Administrative Committee Guo Hong.
Before the signing ceremony, Viktor Vekselberg paid a visit to Z-Park and held talks with Guo Hong. The two leaders focused on specific moves to implement previously reached accords and outlined practical steps for promoting cooperation in various areas. It was decided to complete the roadmap for collaboration in the near future. Z-Park is home to the offices of 217 Chinese and foreign technology companies accounting for about a third of all investments in high technologies in China.
The Skolkovo Foundation president also held talks with deputy minister of science and technology of the People’s Republic of China Cao Jianlin to discuss in detail the prospects for innovation collaboration between the two countries. An agreement was reached to set up two joint working groups – the first will elaborate the collaboration strategy, while the second will propose specific cooperation projects in designated scientific fields.
The programme for Viktor Vekselberg’s visit also included a meeting with Xu Xiaoping, assistant director of Torchlight High Technology Industrial Development Centre. In March 2012, the Torch centre, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Technology, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Skolkovo Foundation with a view to promoting cooperation in joint scientific research and development and commercialisation of innovative technologies. Viktor Vekselberg and Xu Xiaoping reached an agreement on promotion of the Foundation’s contacts with other Chinese technoparks. Specifically, it was agreed that representatives of the Foundation would participate in the Harbin Technopark high technologies fair on 14-16 June.
Moreover, Viktor Vekselberg visited China’s high-tech company ZTE and discussed possible engagement of the company as one of Skolkovo’s key partners with its administration.
“We have exciting opportunities for cooperation in innovation”, said Viktor Vekselberg. “The leaders of Russia and China are considering creating a broad technology alliance of the two countries. With this powerful political backing, we must take advantage of this historic opportunity and turn all the agreements and plans we have into specific projects as soon as possible.”
About the Skolkovo Foundation
The Skolkovo Foundation has the mandate from the Russian Government to help accelerate the transformation of Russia from a resource-intensive to an innovation-based economy through strategic partnerships with leading scientists and corporations (currently numbering almost 500 companies and start-ups). The Foundation aims to strengthen the links between Russian and international science, technology, education, entrepreneurship and investment communities. To achieve this objective it is overseeing the creation of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre composed of five R&D clusters, a Technopark, the Skolkovo Institute of Technology (a new graduate research University established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Skolkovo city, located near Moscow. Together these entities will establish a vibrant eco-system of technology innovation and entrepreneurship. The Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in May 2010 by the Russian Government with a grant of USD 5 billion. For more information: http://www.sk.ru/en
Contact details:
Seda Pumpyanskaya
Vice President of the Foundation
for International Relations and Communications
Tel.: +7-495-967-0148 доб. 2242
Mob.: +7-917-511-7677
+86-136-21-34-28-65
E-mail: SPumpyanskaya@sk.ru