China and Brazil Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation in science and technology between the two countries.

The document was signed by Brazil's Minister of Science and Technology Ronaldo Sardenberg and China's Vice Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong.

Under the document, the two ministries will cooperate in the priority fields of biotechnology, information and communications technology.

The two countries will also start immediate consultations on the possible establishment of cooperation between their institutes involved in the fields of science and technology.

Li said China and Brazil share many opportunities for cooperation in different advanced scientific fields.

The document is part of the understanding recently reached between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Brazilian counterpart Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Li said.

Sardenberg said the signing of the document marks another step forward in strengthening scientific-technologic cooperation with China and opens new perspectives for important advances in the short run for both countries.

Last week, Chinese President Jiang paid a working visit to Brazil as part of his Latin American tour, which also included Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba and Venezuela.

During the talks between Jiang and Cardoso, both pledged to extend bilateral cooperation to space research and other advanced fields of science.

(People's Daily 04/19/2001)