China and Uruguay have forged a new scientific alliance by signing more than 20 cooperation agreements, targeting critical fields from cancer treatment and water management to fighting crop-destroying pests.
The development signals a step forward in ties, moving beyond a decade mainly defined by trade in products like wood pulp, soybeans and beef.
“China is a good partner for us, especially in basic sciences,” Alvaro Brunini, president of Uruguay’s National Agency of Research and Innovation (ANII), said after a visit to China last month.
He said the trip had a strong scientific focus, engaging a delegation of researchers, academics and representatives from various innovation institutions.
The two countries’ willingness to cooperate was crucial, he said, as it allowed for the development of research projects as well as student and researcher mobility.