NSW, China sign tech park agreement

The NSW and Chinese governments have signed an agreement to help foster collaborative relationships between science and technology parks and commercial enterprises.

The memorandum of understanding was signed today by NSW premier Morris Iemma and the Chinese minister for science and technology, Xu Guan Hua.

"Under the agreement, the Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing will open a science and technology innovation exchange office at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney to facilitate the development of future projects in NSW," said Iemma. "It will act as a gateway for Chinese biotech firms looking to do business with Australia and Australian firms seeking opportunities in China."

The MOU, which has been developed over the last six months, includes strategies that identify the priorities of both governments, the role each government should play, ways to build a strategic relationship between the stakeholders, and a general agreement to recognise the intellectual property rights of each government.

The agreement also aims to lead to training and exchange programs between NSW universities and TAFE and Chinese education facilities, an annual forum on science and technology featuring research being carried out in China and NSW, and the development of sister park relations.

China recently announced a 15-year technology investment plan for research into a range of technologies including manufacturing, IT, mineral exploration, nuclear power, genetic engineering, disease prevention and treatment, aeronautics, and staffed space missions.

"We have spent the last two years and have gone all out to formulate our science and technology plan," said Xu. "This new collaboration is a means and a way to expand the science, technology and economic development between us both. We hope it strengthens ties in science and technology to create a boom situation."

Zhongguancun Science Park is China's biggest, with a high concentration of scientific and technological institutions and intellectual resources. Located in this area are 39 institutions of higher learning represented by Beijing University and Tsinghua University. It is said to encompass 213 research institutions, 10,000 new and high-tech enterprises, and some 1500 R&D centres and high-tech companies set up by or invested by overseas transnational companies.