On 26 November, 2016, Minister HAN Changfu of Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), together with Vice Minister ZHANG Taolin and Mr. BI Meijia, member of Party Leadership Group of MOA, visited National Natural Enemies Insects Science and Technology Innovation Alliance of China during the symposium of the Alliance held in Jinan, Shandong Province. Secretary CHEN Mengshan of the Party Leadership Group of CAAS and Vice President WAN Jianmin accompanied them during the visit. During the visit, the leaders inspected the Alliance and investigated the production line for propagation of natural enemies set up by the governing institution of the Alliance.

It was learnt that National Natural Enemies Insects Science and Technology Innovation Alliance was prepared to be established in the beginning of the year under the direct and support of the Department of Science, Technology and Education and the Department of Crop Production, MOA. The Alliance was officially established on 28 August. Based on the requirement of the Department of Science, Technology and Education, an enterprise governs the Alliance. To support the Alliance in sci-tech and R&D, IPP takes up the post of executive deputy governing institution. Since the establishment of the Alliance, IPP planned and took part in the affairs of the Alliance and actively implemented the strategic plan of promoting national agricultural science and technology innovation through cooperation between research institution and industry. IPP integrated the science and technology resources, guided innovation factors towards industry, and promoted the integrative innovation of core technology in natural enemy propagation and the application. The efforts paid by IPP improved the core competence of Chinese natural enemy industry and provided technical support to the green control of crop diseases and insect pests in China.

Minister HAN asked in detail about the propagation techniques of Trichogramma, aphelinid parasitoids, predatory stinkbugs, etc., and the effect of application and marketing development. He affirmed the cooperation between the Alliance and enterprises and the transfer of the technology. Secretary CHEN asked about the conditions of the member institutions of the Alliance and the control targets of the predatory and parasitic natural enemies and the application methods. Prof. ZHANG Lisheng, the executive deputy director of the Alliance, introduced the related situation. During the inspection, Mr. ZENG Yande, the director general of the Department of Crop Production, MOA, introduced the application of natural enemies in green control of crop diseases and insect pests in China.

Mr. YE Zhenqin, the director general of the General Office, MOA, Dr. TAO Huaiying, the director general of the Department of Finance, MOA, Mr. LIAO Xiyuan, the director general of the Department of Science, Technology and Education, MOA, and Dr. MEI Xurong, the director general of the Department of Research Management, CAAS, accompanied the minister during the inspection.