The 3rd Conference & 4th Working Meeting of China-Argentina Food Science and Technology Center was hosted by IFST in Beijing during the period from June 18^th to 19^th. Over 60 Chinese and Argentine scientists attended this event. Mr. Juan Carlos Paz, Minister of Embassy of the Argentina Republic, Mr. Wang Qiang, Division Director of American and Oceanian Affairs at the Department of International Cooperation, Mr. Gong Xifeng, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau at CAAS and Dr. Dai Xiaofeng, Director General of IFST participated and spoke in this event.

 

    Mr. Paz spoke that this year is the fortieth anniversary for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Argentina. The two countries are having more and more exchanges in various fields and China has become the second largest trade partner of Argentina. The two countries should keep conducting exchanges and cooperation in the field of science and technology, especially in the field of agro-products processing. Mr. Gong Xifeng expressed that the two parties are conducting cooperative research and academic exchanges in the fields of agro-products processing, food science, agro-products quality and safety, etc based on the China-Argentina Food Science and Technology Center. This has become a model for international cooperation and exchange in CAAS.

 

    Dr. Dai Xiaofeng pointed out that China and Argentina are both developing countries and they have a lot of similarities in agriculture and agro-products processing, giving rise to a solid foundation and great potential for cooperation. The Institute will keep fulfilling its responsibilities and conducting close cooperation and exchange with Argentina in vegetable protein utilization, meat processing, food safety and other advantageous fields under the leadership of MOA and CAAS, with a view to making due contributions to the development of agro-products processing technologies and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. It is hoped this meeting will further improve the cooperative research of the Center, facilitate the joint research in food processing, nutrition and health, etc., and also enhance the university-industry-institute cooperation and promote the industrialization of research results.

 

    Experts in agro-products processing from China and Argentina had in-depth discussions on non-thermal meat processing, beef traceability, GMO risk assessment, bone and blood protein utilization, etc., reached an agreement on the intent of cooperation, and signed cooperation agreements on vegetable protein processing and GMO research.