Recently a French delegation went on a visit to Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai and had discussions conducted with the hospital on establishing a Sino-French life science lab for carrying out scientific research with Chinese scientists in Shanghai.

According to plans, joint research would be carried out on key scientific subjects and strive for great achievements to be made in developing the two countries' life science.

Under an open floating system, the lab to be established will develop and be turned into a world first-class base to go in for a multi-course new-tech research and development, to be run as a cooperative part linked to other domestic research units and onto the whole international cooperative network.

A joint academic committee, composed of Chinese and French experts, would jointly operate the lab as well as select, appraise, and supervise subjects and scientists. Both sides will appoint a scientist director of the lab to be launched. The Chinese and French governments would be jointly responsible for the lab's outlays incurred. Meanwhile, the two sides would share all research results as theses, patents, copyrights, and intellectual property rights following international practice.

(People's Daily 07/25/2001)