On April 12th, Prof. Wu Kongming, President of CAAS, met with Prof. Andrew Deeks, Vice Chancellor and President of Murdoch University, to exchange views on further deepening agricultural science and technology cooperation.

Prof. Wu Kongming emphasized the solid foundation of cooperation in agricultural science and technology between CAAS and Murdoch University. Collaborative platforms such as the China Australia Joint Center for Wheat Improvement and the China Australia Joint Centre for the Prevention and Management of Exotic Invasive Species achieved fruitful outcomes. Prof. Wu suggested further deepening cooperation in existing areas of crop breeding and biosecurity, and expanding into new areas such as animal science, agricultural product processing, and agricultural resources and environment. He proposed to set a joint Doctoral program given the importance of talent development in providing strong scientific support for agricultural development in both countries.

Prof. Deeks gave high regard to the partnership with CAAS and expressed willingness to strengthen and expand the comprehensive cooperation. He agreed that it is important to have more agricultural science and technology talents and advance innovation out of China-Australia agricultural science and technology cooperation.

At the meeting, the Institute of Crop Sciences of CAAS (ICS-CAAS) and Institute of Plant Protection of CAAS (IPPCAAS) renewed agreements with Murdoch University on wheat improvement breeding and the prevention and control of exotic invasive species respectively, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in joint research, platform building, academic exchanges, and talent cultivation.

Ms. Deb Langford, Minister Counselor for Agriculture at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, Prof. Sun Tan, Vice President of CAAS, along with officials from Department of International Cooperation of CAAS, Graduate School of CAAS, ICS-CAAS, and IPPCAAS also attended the meeting.

Before the meeting, Prof. Deeks and the delegation visited the National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Park, the National Crop Gene Bank and the China Australia Joint Center for Wheat Improvement.