The Sino-Egyptian cooperation in science and technology witnessed a trend of stable development. The contact and exchange between the two countries in science and technology has been more frequent and closer than before because of implementation of several important bilateral visiting activities, especially the holding of the forth joint committee meeting on scientific and technological cooperation in Beijing. New progress have achieved in the fields of agriculture, environmental protection, medicine as well as small and medium enterprise development and enterprise incubator. Looking back to the year of 2003 the features as the following can be seen:

1. Important bilateral exchange activities played important promoting functions

Continuing with official visit of the Prime Minister Zhu Rongji in April of 2002 the follow up important bilateral exchange activities were conducted and the scientific and technologic cooperation between China and Egypt promoted significantly.

In the pharmacy area, in cooperation with the Egyptian counterpart Shanghai Dongbao Company started producing insulin, it was reported that the product has gained a market occupying ratio of 50% in Egypt. And the Ministry of Health of Egypt has already agreed to approve the cooperation production of another 9 medicines with Chinese side.

Two large scale exhibitions–the Product Exhibition of Shenzhen City and China's High Technology Product Exhibition held respectively in March and September of 2003, not only attracted the high attention of the Egyptian government but also make the public further familiar with China's manufacturing capability and scientific and technological level. In the period of Product Exhibition of Shenzhen City Minister of High Education and Scientific Research of Egypt met with the Liu Yingli, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen City, reviewed the important events of Sino-Egypt scientific and technological cooperation, he expressed his appreciation to the 4 cooperation projects between Shenzhen High-Tec Park and Mubarak City Scientific Research and Technology Applications. Since June of 2003, Chinese delegations from China's State Forestry Bureau and State Environmental Protection Bureau paid successful visits to Egypt and met with the Egyptian Ministers and signed Memorandums or meeting records. The heads of the delegations of forestry and environment got the reception by the prime minister of Egypt.

2. The Sino-Egyptian Joint Scientific and Technological Committee Meeting deepened the cooperation relationship

The Fourth Sino-Egypt Joint Scientific and Technological Committee Meeting was held in Beijing in October of 2003 as scheduled. The two sides attached high importance to the preparation of the meeting, the Minister of High Education and Scientific Research of Egypt expressed his willingness to lead Egyptian delegation to attend the meeting. Although he did not realize his visit, the delegation headed by the head of the Academy of Scientific Research paid a successful visit to China.

Egyptian Delegation participated in the fifth Shenzhen High-Tec Exhibition, the delegates were well impressed by the economic and social development and modernization of Shenzhen City, and they highly appreciated the city's scientific and technological achievement. They praised Shenzhen as a city of 21 Century. The Chairman of Mubarak City for Scientific and Technology Applications expressed his willingness to maintain the cooperation with Shenzhen High-Tec Park, expected new progress especially in the areas of applied technology.

In the working level Science and Technology Section of Embassy of China in Egypt has further tightened the working relationship with the office of Minister of High Education and Scientific Research, Egypt Academy of Scientific Research and Mubarak City for Scientific Research and National Research Center.

The 38 projects stipulated in the joint committee agreement will be the main contents of the scientific and technologic exchange and cooperation between two countries in the coming years.

3. Implementation and Progress of the exchange and cooperation

1) Area of applied technology of agriculture. Based on the cooperation in botanic growing -stimulating agent (ABT/GGB) and silkworm production technology Shangdong Weihai delegation of aquaculture technology paid a visit to Egypt and had a negotiation with Egyptian counterpart. The two sides plan to cooperate in establishing a pilot shrimp production project and a training center. Introducing Chinese bamboo to Egypt has entered into consultation stage.

2) Area of environmental protection. The project of establishing two rice straw gasification station by Ministry of Environmental Protection of Egypt in cooperation with Sichuan Province Agricultural Machinery Research Institute has enter into the phase of implementation. In addition the Egyptian side expressed their expectation in the cooperation of introducing purification of drinking water and sewage water treatment technology from China.

3) Area of pharmaceutical study. China's State Administration for Traditional Medicine in cooperation with Arabian Pharmacy Medical Information Center under the Ministry of Health of Egypt conducted successful workshop on botanic medicine development and application in the October of 2003. The expert group from Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences paid second visit to National Research Center of Egypt (NRC), and held workshop together and discussed the further cooperation of the two sides. NRC assigned two experts to Shandong to receive training in acupuncture in December of 2003.

4) Satellite-lab cooperation. Continuing with the visits of experts of China's Great Wall Corporation in 2001 and 2002, 3 experts from the Egyptian National Authority of Remote Sensing and Space Flight under the Ministry of Scientific Research paid a technical exchange visit with the assistance of Ambassador Foundation of Embassy of China in Egypt.

5) Cooperation in Science Park. Shenzhen High Tech Park and Mubarak City for Scientific and Technology Applications identified 4 cooperation projects, the executing agencies of the two sides met again in March 2003 exchanging views for further promoting the implementation. The 4 projects got the financial support from the Department of Science and Technology of ShenZhen Municipal Government in 2003.

6) Areas of small and medium enterprise development. Continuing with the workshop on Practical Technology in 2002, the Research Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology under the Xi'an Communication University strengthened the cooperation with Tabbin Institute for Metallurgical Studies, two Egyptian assigned trainees participated in the training course on rapid prototyping manufacturing in Shanghai. Presently the two sides are considering starting cooperation in post graduate education.

7) Cooperation in enterprise incubator. By utilizing the opportunity of participating in the training course in Beijing, General Manager of Egyptian Incubator Association met with the officers from Torch Program Center under the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and they exchange views on building an international Enterprise Incubator in Egypt. It has been planned that China Science and Technology Exchange Center with EIA will organize a workshop on incubator and small and medium enterprise development in 2004.

In addition, 9 Egyptian trainees participated in 5 international courses sponsored by Ministry of Science and technology of China. We also have maintained the State Bureau for Foreign Expert as an exchange channel to invite Egyptian experts to visit China so as to facilitate the exchange of experts of two sides.

In Summary the year 2003 saw a new progress over the bilateral science and technology cooperation between the China and Egypt, Its exchange forms diversified and substantive cooperation increased.