Chinese President Hu Jintao (front) addresses the opening ceremony of the 12th General Conference and the 23rd General Meeting of the Academy of Science for the Developing World (TWAS) in Tianjin, north China, Sept. 18, 2012. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

China promises to play a bigger role in promoting the scientific cooperation in the developing countries as it is hosting the annual event of TWAS, the most important scientific organization in the developing world.

Chinese government has decided to donate 1.5 million U.S. dollars to the organization, announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the opening ceremony of TWAS’ the 12th general academic conference and the 23rd general meeting of academicians in Tianjian, Tuesday afternoon.

The donation will be used to support TWAS’ work in promoting scientific and technological exchange and cooperation, helping build stronger innovation ability of the developing world, training more scientific talents.

China will gradually add more high-tech projects to its foreign aid packages and help other countries build basic research facilities, technology development platforms and research centers, said Hu.

As early as in 2006, China was determined to transform itself to be an innovative country and invested heavily in the technological sector. China now ranks the first in the world in terms of the number of R&D personnel, second for the total number of international science and technology papers, third for the total number of patents granted, said Wan Gang, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, at a session of TWAS meeting.

China is willing to share lessons and achievements with other developing countries with hope that its experience in exploring a way for building innovative country may make contribution to overcome human being’s common challenges such as poverty and climate change.

TWAS, known as the Third World Academy of Sciences until 2004, was founded in 1983 in Trieste, Italy to promote scientific excellence and sustainable development in developing countries.

Dr. Bai Chunli, vice president of TWAS and president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was elected president of TWAS at the meeting. (People's Daily Online)