22.10.2024 / Visit of the Director of APACCCEEC to Shandong Province
In the period 15-18 October 2024, the Director of the APACCCEEC, Dr. Momchil Stanishev, visited the Chinese province of Shandong, where he participated in the Sixth China – CEE Local Leaders’ Meeting in the city of Yentai. The event is organized by the Shandong Provincial People’s Congress, the China-CEEC Association of Provincial Governors and the China-CEE Cooperation Secretariat. The Local Leaders’ Meeting is held every two years and provides an opportunity to seek new perspectives for future cooperation.
During the Sixth China-CEE Local Leaders’ Meeting, an exhibition of products (food, beverages, cosmetics) from the 14 CEE countries was held. The stand with Bulgarian products enjoyed great interest from visitors.
On the first day of his visit, Dr. Stanishev went to the Shandong-based Yantai Tayho Advanced Materials Co., Ltd., one of the largest textile manufacturers in China.
On the next day, October 16th, the China-CEE Academician Forum was opened, bringing together participants from academia in China and CEE countries, including representatives from Shandong Agricultural University, the European Academy, the Hellenic Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Agricultural University of Athens, the Association for Educational Exchange between China and Serbia, the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, the University of East Sarajevo, the University of Novi Sad, the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, etc.
Among the most discussed topics this year were economic and technological exchanges and the future of agricultural cooperation. The Forum was opened by the Governor of Shandong Province, Mr. Zhou Naixing, with Prof. Leng Changjian, President of Shandong Agricultural University, moderating. The main subject of the first part of the Academic Forum was “modern intelligent agriculture”, which addressed issues related to food security, the use of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and GPS to advance agriculture. The Academic Forum proceeded with a discussion on the importance of diet for human well-being, considering the current trends in consumer preferences and healthier options for food processing. Participants emphasized the role of consumers as change agents in the sector. Also on the agenda were the actions against climate change and related challenges, for example in livestock farming.
During the Forum, Dr. Stanishev delivered a speech in which he focused on the fundamental importance of agriculture for the economic development of each country. APACCCEEC’s Director addressed the current challenges in both CEE countries and China, including the difficulties after the coronavirus pandemic and the increasing demand for high quality food. Dr. Stanishev stressed that these factors determine the need to create and develop a platform for innovative solutions to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and good practices and to enable new partnerships.
The Mount Tai Declaration was signed on 16 October, establishing the China-CEEC Modern Agricultural Science and Education Innovation Alliance. The Alliance is a non-profit international multilateral cooperation platform established by 64 members of agricultural universities, research institutes and enterprises from China and Central and Eastern European Countries, with APACCCEEC being a co-founder. The initiator of the Alliance is Shandong Agricultural University and the Alliance is based on Shandong Provincial Research Center for Exchange and Cooperation with CEE Countries and Shandong Foreign Affairs Research and Development Think Tank. According to the Declaration, the Alliance is committed to strengthening technology exchange and cooperation in modern agriculture between China and CEE countries by working to integrate high-quality education, scientific practices and technology in agriculture.
The participation of APACCCEEC in the establishment of the China-CEEC Modern Agricultural Science and Education Innovation Alliance and the following establishment of a liaison office in Bulgaria will contribute to further developing and expanding the cooperation with new projects and initiatives in the field of agricultural education and agricultural research with China and CEE countries.
On 18 October Dr. Stanishev visited the city of Tai’an. He held meetings with the leadership of Shandong Agricultural University, where he gave a lecture to the university’s Master’s and PhD students, introducing the activities of APACCCEEC within the framework of the China-CEE cooperation. Dr. Stanishev also visited Shandong University’s demonstration experimental gardens, where he learned about eggplant and tomato cultivation by researchers and students.
Shandong Agricultural University is an institution with long tradition, founded in 1906. It is the second university established in Shandong Province and was jointly built by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Shandong Provincial People’s Congress. The university is one of China’s first universities to train young talents in the field of agriculture and forestry. Six of the disciplines studied at Shandong Agricultural University, including Plant & Animal Science and Agricultural Sciences, are in the top 1% of global university rankings.
