BIO Deutschland Accompanies Government Delegation to China

At the end of June, the founding meeting of the German-Chinese Working Group on Medical Economics and Biotechnology was held in the provincial capital city of Changsha. The meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Head of the Department for Industrial Policy at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Dr Manfred Schubert, and the Deputy Head of the Chinese Department for the High Tech Industry at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Mr Ren Zhiwu. Members of the German delegation included representatives from business and science, as well as representatives from the Federal Economics Ministry and the German Embassy. Dr Pablo Serrano (BIO Deutschland), Uwe Ahrens (CEO Co.don® AG), Dr Bernward Garthoff (Bayer AG, DIB), Dr Norbert Stöhr (Bayer China Ltd) und Dr Finn Zedler (Qiagen China) were among the members of the German delegation. The Chinese side was represented by members of the NDRC and various research institutes, as well as by representatives from industry associations and chambers of commerce and industry. Altogether around 50 people took part in the meeting.

The meeting was used to set objectives and in particular to decide on the working group’s future main areas of activity and work procedures. Both sides made good use of the opportunity and made substantial contributions by giving presentations on their institutions and projects. BIO Deutschland gave a presentation on the latest figures from recent surveys in order to provide the Chinese side with an overview of the performance characteristics and the structure of innovative biotech SMEs in Germany.

The primary aim of the working group’s meeting was to decide on topics for the bilateral cooperation as concretely as possible and to set up corresponding sub-groups. The task of these sub-groups will be to investigate how synergies can be used and how cooperation between the two countries can be further developed. Biotechnology and genetic engineering, including regenerative medicine and molecular diagnostics, were among the most important topics.

The German delegation was also invited to attend the opening of the Chinese trade fair, BioIndustry China, on 21 June 2008, where regional pavilions, state institutes, bioparks and a few companies were provided with a presentation platform of around 10,000m² of exhibition space.

The China Bioindustry Convention took place after the trade fair opening and gave the Chinese bio-industry an opportunity to present its work. Around 700 people attended the convention. The lectures on topics including traditional Chinese medicine, regrowable raw materials, conventional hybrid rice cultivation, the commissioned production of antibodies, and vitamins were given by representatives of the many Chinese state institutions rather than by companies.

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