From November 4th to 5th,the Founding General Assembly of the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) in the Belt and Road Region& the Second International Science Forum of National Scientific Organizations on the Belt and Road Initiative was held in Beijing. The Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereafter referred to as“IPS”), Institutes for Drug Discovery and Development, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Institute of Microbiology were honorably selected by ANSO to successfully co-organize the parallel scientific session on “Infectious Diseases and Medicine”. More than 60internationally renowned experts, scientific researchers and students from the institutions and universities of 11 countries along the “Belt and Road” region attended the conference. The theme of this session is how to effectively prevent and control infectious diseases in Belt and Road regions, through enhancing the capacity building and innovation, and through cooperative research for preparedness for outbreaks.

During the conference, the top experts, scholars and institutional leaders in the fields of epidemiology, virology, immunology, and translational medicine from 15 institutions at home and abroad such as the IPS, Institut Pasteur of Dakar, Oswaldo(FIO)Cruz Foundation in Brazil and so on made wonderful reports around the topics on “Research for Preparedness, Drug Discovery and Policy and Action”. Participants shared their knowledge and experience in cutting-edge research and innovation through comprehensive, multi-level, multi-view, multidisciplinary reporting and brainstorming, with a view to promoting local government cooperation in implementing policies, promoting education and training. The on-site exchanges and interactions caused the participants to actively explore and strongly resonate. The outcomes report of the conference concluded that viruses and microbes are major problems for human health; the human society must  prepare for the threat of new infectious diseases, which can be widely promoted among scientists and experts in the Alliance of International Science Organizations in the Belt and Road Region; the cooperation can be effectively strengthened by sharing the acquired substances/active compounds and information and facilitating exchanges; strengthening joint projects among “Belt and Road” countries, as well as building complex libraries and strengthening personnel exchanges; ANSO shall develop consensus on joint principles and strategies on scientific cooperation.

At the opening ceremony of the Founding General Assembly of ANSO in the Belt and Road Region& the Second International Science Forum of National Scientific Organizations on “the Belt and Road Initiative”, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to ANSO. President Xi pointed out that the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” has been widely welcomed by the international community. Scientific and technological cooperation with relevant countries is an important part of the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” and plays an active role in improving people's livelihood, promoting development, and coping with common challenges. It is hoped that the scientific communities of all countries will join hands and work together to play the role of the platform of ANSO, strengthen the docking of science and technology innovation policies and development strategies, carry out major scientific and technological cooperation, cultivate innovative and entrepreneurial talents, enhance scientific and technological innovation capabilities, promote the commonweal of the people and sustainable economic and social development, and the construction of a green road and an innovation road, and make an important contribution to the construction of a community of shared future for mankind. Vice Premier Liu He attended the conference and read the congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping. Vice Premier Liu pointed out that President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter fully reflects the Chinese government's high regard for the science and technology support to the construction of the "Belt and Road", fully affirming the important role of science and technology cooperation in the construction of the "Belt and Road". It has very important guiding significance and indicates the future development direction to ANSO and the mutual science and technology cooperation.

During the conference, the “Belt and Road” Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Exhibition of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was held, and the “China-Senegal Epidemic Innovation Research and Development Center” project of IPS was exhibited.