On September 29, Philippe MAUGUIN, the president of Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) visited IPP-CAAS. Academician TANG Huajun, the president of CAAS happily met the French guest. GONG Xifeng, DG of International Cooperation of CAAS, ZHOU Xueping, DG of IPP-CAAS, LI Hongkang and ZHANG Jie, DDGs of IPP-CAAS were present at the meeting.
President TANG Huajun, representing CAAS, warmly welcomed President Philippe MAUGUIN and the delegation of INRA. He introduced the close collaboration on a variety of research areas which has been carried between CAAS and INRA. The two parties have strong background for collaboration. He proposed the two parties should take advantage of each other’s strength and push forward more pragmatic collaboration. President Philippe MAUGUIN briefly introuduced the general information of INRA. Carole CARANTA, head of Research Division of Plant Breeding and Biology, specifically introduced the SMaCH metaprogramme, one of the nine  metaprogrammes initiated by INRA, which was focused on the sustainable management of crop health.
DG ZHOU Xueping and President Philippe MAUGUIN signed the Letter of Intent on establishing the “International Associated Laboratories (LIA)”. The Letter of Intent will push the two parties to actively prepare establishing a point research platform and the actual operation of LIA. By taking advantage of the platform, the two parties can discuss, the two parties can discuss, communicate and collaborate on applying for bilateral and multilateral projects. The platform will be dedicated to solve a number of critical problems in plant pest prevention and control confronting both China and France. After the signing ceremony, DG ZHOU Xueping showed the delegation around the State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests. Ségolène HALLEY des FONTAINES, the Director of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Director of INRA/CIRAD International Cooperation, Carole CARANTA, head of Research Division of Plant Breeding and Biologym, Muriel VAYSSIER-TAUSSAT, head of Re-search Division of Animal Health, Zheng Li, the local representative of INRA in Beijing and his assistant Sarah LIU accompanied President Philippe MAUGUIN through visit.