Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and Institut Pasteur of Shanghai (IPS) signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement in Wuhan on March 17, 2016. Mr. Hong Tang, the Director General, Mr. Fernando ARENZANA-SEISDEDOS, the Co-Director, Mr. Si Shengli, the CPC Secretary and Mr. Ke Lan, the Deputy Director of IPS, Mr. Philippe Maurin, the Attaché for Science and Technology of French General Consulate in Wuhan, and Mr. Xinwen Chen, the Director General, Mr. Gengfu Xiao, the Deputy Secretary of Party Committee, Mr. Changcai He, the Deputy Director and Mr. Zhiming Yuan, the Director of BSL-4 Laboratory of WIV were present at the signing ceremony. The signing ceremony also gathered researchers and staffs of both sides.

During the ceremony, as the representatives from both sides, Mr. Xinwen Chen and Mr. Hong Tang delivered their addresses with passion. Both of them hoped our two institutes to strengthen cooperation and achieve the advantage compensation around the “CAS Pioneer Initiative”. By utilizing the two institutes’ current international resources jointly, they also wished that WIV and IPS will respond actively to the initiatives of “Go Global” and “One Belt, One Road” proposed by our government, and make a significant contribution to research in life sciences, especially in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Mr. Philippe Maurin expressed warm congratulations to the signing of strategic cooperation agreement.He assured that the outcome of this cooperation will benefit the Sino-France collaboration on prevention and control of infectious diseases undoubtedly. As witnesses, the agreement was signed by Mr. Xinwen Chen and Mr. Hong Tang.

As the important carriers in Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) under the Sino-France scientific cooperation, WIV and IPS have amazing strengths in virology studies and prevention and control of infectious diseases respectively. WIV and IPS will share their complementary experience and expertise to elaborate cooperation on basic research and applied research on infection and immunity of infectious diseases, biosafety laboratories promotion, education and training programs and the transformation of scientific achievements, so as to respond with synergistic efficiency to public health challenges in our country.