INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

CONICET and China renewed an agreement on academic and scientific exchange visits

The new agreement with China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations covers the funds for joint research projects.


The president of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Dr. Roberto Salvarezza, and the vice-president of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), Dr. Yuan Peng, renewed and extended the agreement so that the delegations of researchers can make academic and scientific visits between both countries.

In 2010, both institutions signed a letter of intent to develop those activities. As this year that agreement expires, both institutions made a request for the renewal. The agreement only enabled the promotion of activities between specific groups of both countries so CONICET suggested signing a framework convention that includes a broader spectrum of activities.

During the visit, both institutions agreed on the opening of joint calls to finance research projects. The aim of the agreement is to facilitate international cooperation projects on international policies fields and strategic relationships between China and Argentina.

After thanking for the visit of the Chinese delegation, the president of the Council affirmed that that agreement “is strategic for both parts”.

“CONICET has an active international cooperation where China has grown in importance. In 2013, there were more than 110 publications where researchers of both countries participated”, Dr Salvarezza remarked.

The CICIR vice-president said that “it was a great honor for me to visit CONICET”. Besides, he added that the Chinese institute “has to conduct scientific research with Argentina” among other countries of Latin America. “We want to accelerate academic cooperation between both parts in all sectors”, Peng concluded.

Last Tuesday, June 3rd, the third Chinese and Argentine research workshop named “The Sino-Argentine strategic relationships and their new circumstances” took place at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop was called by Dr. Oviedo and research groups that were not included in the original agreement were invited.

The CICIR is the oldest Chinese institution of foreign relationships. It has 11 institutes, 8 research centres and it employs 350 people. Its current president is Prof. Ji Zhiye.