Between July 2 & 7 the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Marco Antonio Raupp, will participate in a series of activities related to the Brazil-China Ten Year Cooperation Plan 2012-2021, which was signed during Rio+20. Among the topics expected to be on the agenda are the launch of the CBers satellite, the Bi-National Center for Nanotechnology and memorandums of understanding for biotechnology and meteorology centers, in addition to exchanges relating to information and communication technology (ICT) and the Program ‘Science without Fronteirs’ (CsF).

Meetings are planned in Beijing with the Chinese Ministers of Science and Technology, Wan Gang, and Industry and Information Technology, Miao Wei, and the head of the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA), Chen Qiufa. The Minister will visit Tsinghua University, the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (Cast) and the Space Center. Minister Raupp will be accompanied on the Brazilian mission to China by the Director of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE/MCTI), Leonel Perondi, and the President of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB/MCTI), José Raimundo Braga Coelho.

During Rio+20 the Brazilian and Chinese governments signed four new collaborative arrangements. The initial purpose of the trip is to advance discussions on issues relating to science, technology and innovation in the Ten Year Plan 2012-2021 and to initiate the accords that will enable actions within the partnership agreement.