The celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China Association for International Exchange of Personnel (CAIEP) UK and the launching ceremony of the 17th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP) were held in London on the 29th.

Zhang Jianguo, Vice-Minister of Science and Technology of China, Director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), and Vice Chairman and Secretary General of CAIEP, Zhu Qin, Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, Baron David Willetts, member of the House of Lords and former Minister of State for Universities and Science, James, member of the British House of Lords, Baron Kumar Bhattacharyya, member of the House of Lords, WMG Chairman of the Warwick, and winner of the China Friendship Award, President of Westminster University, and Dr. Peter Bonfield, Vice President of the British Engineering and Technology Society attended the event and delivered addresses.

The event was held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-UK Intergovernmental Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation. It attracted six British experts who won the China Friendship Award, dozens of outstanding British experts of different fields that have long-term cooperation with China, and about 120 representatives of British institutions and organizations that have established cooperative relations with the Ministry of Science and Technology (SAFEA).

In his address, Zhang Jianguo said that the exchanges and cooperation of science and technology and talent between China and the UK entered a golden age; cooperation and win-win became the main theme of the development of science and technology and talent innovation of China and the UK. At present, there are more than 40,000 British experts working in China every year. After years of accumulation, this group has become an important talent base and driving force for Sino-UK innovation cooperation.

The Chinese government attached great importance to international exchanges and cooperation in science and technology and talents, and would implement a more active, more open and more effective talent policy, and provide quality services to foreign experts working in China, so that they would come and stay, work and be mobilized, Zhang Jianguo added. It is hoped that experts, scholars and institutions of all fields in the UK will actively participate and inject new impetus into the science and technology and talent cooperation between China and the UK.

Zhu Qin said in his address that Sino-British scientific and technological cooperation was the “golden achievement” of the “golden age” of bilateral relations. Today’ world is experiencing a change unprecedented in the past 100 years, and Sino-UK innovation cooperation is facing unprecedented opportunities. China is a populous country and is moving from a country with human resources to a talent powerhouse. The UK is a research powerhouse with a sound education system and strong research institutions. The Sino-UK talent exchange has broad prospects. It is hoped that CAIEP UK can firmly grasp the current opportunities, constantly explore and innovate, strive to build the Sino-British technology, innovation and talent cooperation into the first productivity, first power, and first resources in Sino-British relations, and make greater contributions to the "Golden Age" of Sino-British relations.

Launched in 2001, CIEP is China's largest, highest-level, and most influential international and comprehensive talent exchange event. It is also an exchange and cooperation platform integrating talents, technology, projects, and management. The 17th CIEP will be held in Shenzhen from April 14th to 15th, 2019. The UK will be listed as the sole guest country of the conference, which can serve as a matching platform for UK to communicate with China and seek cooperation opportunities.