This marks the start of a two-year project headed by professor Lin Erda of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, with an investment of 3.5 million yuan (US$422,200) from Britain’s Department of Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs.

The signing will take place in the presence of the Vice-Minister of Science and Technology Deng Nan and Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who arrived in Beijing Thursday for a short working visit.

He is also expected to hold talks today with Premier Zhu Rongji, according to sources in the British Embassy.

Chinese scientists will use advanced computer models of climatic change developed in Britain to predict what will happen to the production of key crops such as wheat, rice and cotton in the future.

The wider impact of climatic changes on the availability of water resources and on China’s biodiversity will also be assessed.

Chinese scientists have made great strides towards understanding the impact of climate change on agriculture, such as how grain production is influenced by floods and drought, according to Lin.

“This new project is exciting because it will use some of the most sophisticated climate models now available to look at what the future holds for the world’s most populous country,” said a spokesman for the British Embassy.

The project will be supervised by a committee including officials from both countries. Cooperation with Britain will pave the way for more reliable weather forecasting. Britain is a world leader in climate change research.

(China Daily 07/06/2001)