At the invitation by French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and on behalf of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Prof. Zhang Huijie, Deputy Director General of Department of International Cooperation of CAAS, visited Paris, France by leading the CAAS senior scientists delegation to participate in the“The 1st CAAS-INRA Agricultural Scientists Workshop”，which was jointly held by the CAAS and INRA.
 

INRA Vice President Jean-François SOUSSANA and Prof. Zhang Huijie jointly opened the workshop on behalf of INRA and CAAS. Prof. Zhang Huijie delivered a keynote speech on behalf of the CAAS, introducing the basic conditions of the CAAS and the cooperation between the CAAS and INRA. She also proposed the CAAS’s concerns on the ways of the first summit of Chinese and French agricultural scientists to make favorable achievements based on the effective measures promoting the scientific and technical innovation projects of the CAAS and the mega science progammes of the INRA. In addition, both Chinese and French scientists made in-depth exchanges of their latest scientific researches via special seminars by centering on the key fields such as wheat breeding, comprehensive prevention and control of plant diseases and insect pests, soil, and agricultural ecology and climatic changes through group discussions. 

The visit enhanced and upgraded the cooperation between CAAS and INRA, effectively promoting three aspects: Firstly, the two sides practically discussed cooperation plans for four key fields, wheat breeding, integrated pest management, soil, and agricultural ecology and climatic changes, reaching multiple cooperation understandings; Secondly, both sides discussed and reached consensus on the establishment of the International Associated laboratories (LIA) for China-France agricultural science; Thirdly, effective discussions have been made on jointly reinforcing the depth and effective matchmaking of the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (ASTIP) of CAAS and the mega-programs of INRA, reaching a preliminary understanding. 

Senior scientists from the Department of International Cooperation, Institute of Crop Sciences, Institute of Plant Protection, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning and Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture of CAAS attended the seminar.