At the invitations of the French National Institute of Healthand Medical Research (INSERM), theParis Sciences & Letters Research University, the Italian National Research Council(CNR) and the other relevant institutions in France and Italy, Prof. Zhang Jie - Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesled a delegation to visit the institutions in France and Italy from April 4th to 11th.

During the visit to France, Prof. Zhang Jie visited INSERM as the Chinese President of the Sino-French Association for the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and held a meeting with his homologue, Prof. Ives Levy-President of INSERM. The two sides reached consensus on strengthening the links between Wuhan P4 laboratory and therelevant European networks, andon strengtheningthe cooperation in Africa.During the visit to Institut Pasteur in France, Prof. Zhang Jie met with Prof. Stewart Cole– the newly appointed Director General and expressed that both sides shall continue to strengthen mutual trust and deepen cooperation, to strengthen the cooperation under “Beltand Road” initiative and make the cooperation even better. In particular, he expressed that Institut Pasteur should give more personnel and financial support to this cooperation. After the meeting, Prof. Zhang Jie witnessed the signing of the cooperation agreement on personnel exchanges between Institut Pasteur of Shanghai and Institut Pasteur of Paris.

Prof. Zhang Jie subsequently visited the Sorbonne University and the Paris Sciences & Letters Research University, focusing on the communications with the French partnerson the development of science and education integration of the University of CAS. At the ceremony for the signing of the framework cooperation agreement between the University of CAS and Paris Sciences & Letters Research University, Prof. Zhang Jie expressed that Paris Sciences & Letters Research University was an important partner to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, especially to the University of CAS. He wished that both sides would continuously strive to achieve the newdevelopment of cooperation through the various aspects.

During the visit to the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation (INRIA), Prof. Zhang Jie held the meeting with Prof. Francois Sillion - the newly appointed Director and jointly reviewed the first batch of projects results supported by the two partners. Acooperation agreement on the artificial intelligence was signed during the meeting.

Prof. Zhang Jie also visited the French Atomic Energy and Sustainable Energy Commission (CEA), the CEA-LETI laboratory and the companySOITEC to further integrate cooperation resources. The cooperation to enhance the research and development of semiconductor technology, the transformationof achievements, as well as the signature of the cooperation in a timely mannerwas actively discussed in depth.

During the visit to Lyon, Prof. Zhang Jie paid a special visit to Mr. Alain Merieux - Chairman of the Mérieux Foundation and thanked him for his outstanding contribution to the Sino-French cooperation on the emergent infectious disease. He hoped that the Foundation and therelated institutions in both countries would jointly support the scientific researchers on the cooperative research and personnel exchange training in Southeast Asia and Africa. Both sides agreed to strengthen the cooperation, the selective directions andthe mechanisms of the establishment to put the cooperation into practice under the framework of the Sino-French intergovernmental agreement.

In Italy, Prof. Zhang Jie firstly visited the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), and exchanged views in-depth with the Director of the Center–Prof. Fernando Quevedo on the construction of the International Theoretical Physics Center (Asia Pacific). The cooperation to further strengthen the joint recruitment of researchers and joint training of students was proposed. At the meeting with the President of CNR-Prof. Massimo Inguscio, Prof. Zhang Jie was introduced by the heads of various departments of the Italian side on the biomedicine, chemistry, information, physics, and agricultural research and the cooperation with China. Prof. Zhang Jie expressed that the two sides had a lot of potential for cooperation in climate change and agriculture-related fields, which can be carried out by establishing joint teams, the training of students and the joint research project support mechanisms. He also invited the Italian side to send young scholars to participate in the related conference organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences to enhance mutual understanding and establish a new basis for cooperation.

In Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) and the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Prof. Zhang Jie introduced the basic situation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the research progress in the corresponding fields. He hopedto deepen the communication, expand the cooperation potential, and jointly support bilateral cooperation and exchange through multiple channels.

Prof. Zhang Jie also met with Mr. Zhai Jun - the Chinese Ambassador to France. The relevant personnel from the Bureau of International cooperation of CAS, the University of CAS, the Institute of Automation, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai participated in the visit respectively.