On 25 February 2007, Vice Minister SHANG Yong met in MOST with Joel Marcus, visiting CEO of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc and William J.Rutter, one of the founders of US biotech industry and academician of the US National Academy of Sciences and two others.

SHANG Yong expressed warm welcome to Mr. Marcus and his party for their visit to Tianjin Binhai National Bio-medicine Development Park and MOST. He told the guests that, with a population of 1.3 billion, China now has an increasingly greater demand on health and medicine, therefore bio-medicine industry has become exceedingly important. China has its advantages in traditional Chinese medicine and bio-medicine and is willing to create an open and favorable policy environment for extensive international cooperation.

Mr. Marcus appreciated the views of Vice Minister SHANG and remarked that four elements are crucial to the success of a science park, namely geographical location, scientific resources, fund and technology-oriented enterprises. Dr.Rutter praised the Chinese Government for attaching strategic importance to bio-medicine and pointed out in particular that the objective of their trip is to strengthen bilateral cooperation.