On March 26^th, the new Ambassador of French Embassy in China, Mr. Jean-Maurice RIPERT, accompanied by Mr. Olivier GUYONVARCH, the Consul General of France in Wuhan, visited Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to learn about Sino-French cooperation in the field of prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases and the latest progress in the construction of Wuhan P4 laboratory. Prof. Yanyi WANG, the Deputy Director General of WIV, accompanied by Prof. Zhiming YUAN, the director of Wuhan P4 laboratory, met with the French delegation led by Mr. RIPERT.

During the meeting, Prof. YUAN made a progress report on the laboratory construction. The report reviewed the history of the Sino-French cooperation in the field of prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases, and introduced the current progress in the development of substantive scientific research cooperation between the both sides and the establishment of laboratory quality control systems. He hopes that in the future, with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of Science and Technology, we will further strengthen the scientific research cooperation in the field of prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases, establish a good partnership, and complete the application for related scientific research projects as soon as possible, so as to achieve more international frontier results.

Mr. RIPERT fully affirmed the positive contributions made by China and France in the cooperative project and stated that the French government attaches great importance to the Sino-French intergovernmental cooperation agreement and pays close attention to the future cooperation between the two sides intending to carry out scientific research in the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases. The French government hopes that both China and France will continue to integrate resources and give full play to their advantages, consolidate the all-round strategic partnership, promote the scientific research, and ensure the continuous and effective promotion of intergovernmental cooperation.

Prof. Yanyi WANG expressed her warm welcome to the visit of French delegation and expressed the heartfelt gratitude to the French government and friends of all parties who have actively promoted and participated in Sino-French cooperation. She pointed out that WIV attaches great importance to the construction of Wuhan P4 laboratory and hopes that both parties can further promote scientific research, personnel exchanges and strengthen project cooperation in the areas of health, medicine, etc., and continuously advance the cooperation on prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases between China and France. In the future, the Institute will further strengthen communication and contact with CAS and the Ministry of Science and Technology, to actively seek multi-channel supports, and contribute to the world public health.

Representatives from the French Embassy in Beijing, the Consulate General of France in Wuhan, and WIV attended the meeting.