Research & Innovation

The Science Technology & Innovation (STI) section of the EU Delegation to China plays an important role in facilitating EU-China cooperation in R&I. The STI section’s role is to:

• Work with the Chinese counterparts to identify and promote balanced, reciprocal and values-based cooperation in the areas of mutual interest and benefits.

• Work closely with the EU Member States’ diplomatic missions in China on STI issues.

• Raise awareness in China of the EU R&I policies and programmes, thereby supporting coordination and development of joint activities, in particular through the EU key R&I funding programme - Horizon Europe (2021-2027).

• Assist the EU researchers – based in both Europe and China – that wish to develop professional connections with China.

Regarding the latter, the section supports EU researchers in close connection with EURAXESS, the EU initiative that supports research mobility and career development. EURAXESS China office is represented by Mr Kārlis Rokpelnis, Country Representative. Follow EURAXESS China on WeChat for more updates.

The EU and China have had the formal Science & Technology relations since the 1998 Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which was most recently tacitly renewed in 2024. The implementation of the Agreement is overseen by the Joint Steering Committee.

The latest 17th EU-China Joint Steering Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation took place on 13 October 2026 in Beijing. Discussions covered the STI strategies, including China’s STI policy priorities during the 15th Five-Year Plan and the EU’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10), the progress under the two joint research flagship initiatives, researcher mobility, and international research values and principles. Read the press news item on the meeting.

In line with the EU’s Global Approach to Research and Innovation, the EU engages selectively with China, focusing on basic research in areas of mutual interest, including climate change, biodiversity, agriculture and food systems. China’s participation in innovation activities under Horizon Europe is restricted due to insufficient progress on reciprocity in innovation framework conditions.

China is also a member of the ITER project and participates in the Multilateral Dialogue on principles and values for international cooperation in research and innovation, set out in the Commission Communication on the Global Approach.

More information can be found on the European Commission DG Research and Innovation webpage on relations with China.

Horizon Europe (2021-2027) is the EU’s framework programme for R&I. With an indicative budget of €93.5 billion, it provides support for a green, healthy, digital and inclusive Europe. It aims to boost Europe’s scientific leadership, excellent science and breakthrough innovation, while addressing societal challenges through specialised EU Missions on Cancer, Adaptation to Climate Change, Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, Soil Health, and Oceans and Waters.

Through Horizon Europe, the EU seeks to broaden the international R&I cooperation by engaging top talents and connecting leading researchers worldwide. The programme specifically aims to form and foster strategic partnerships across research, innovation, and industry to deliver effective solutions.

Regarding China, Horizon Europe strengthens the EU-China cooperation through two flagship initiatives in the areas of mutual interest, targeting low TRL projects (up to TRL4 = Technology validated in lab):

• Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB)

• Climate Change and Biodiversity (CCB)

The EU and China signed the Administrative Arrangement to renew the co-funding mechanism for the two existing flagship research initiatives on Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) and on Climate Change and Biodiversity (CCB) for the period 2025-2027. Under this arrangement, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) can provide funding for the Chinese entities participating in projects under the flagship topics. Chinese participants are not automatically eligible for the EU funding under Horizon Europe; they can participate as Associated Partners with their own funding to the projects, subject to the conditions of each call. 

General information on the participation in the programme can be found on the European Commission’s webpage at Horizon Europe. 

You can also visit the Horizon Dashboard platform, which is a one-stop shop for data and statistics on the EU Research and Innovation Framework Programmes – from FP1 to Horizon Europe. On the CORDIS website, you can directly access a wide range of EU research results. By using tailored search tools, you can explore projects across multiple areas that involve partners from China. CORDIS provides information on all EU-supported R&I activities, including programmes (Horizon Europe, H2020 and older), projects, results, and publications.

Prior to Horizon Europe, the EU and China had cooperated under the previous framework programme Horizon 2020, which ran from 2014 to 2020. In total, the results included over 600 Chinese participations with more than 280 grant agreements signed. This was facilitated by the 2015 agreement to establish a joint co-funding mechanism with the funding of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for China-based participants. Under Horizon 2020, the EU and China identified five flagship initiatives, covering specific areas of mutual interest:

• Food, Agriculture and Biotechnologies (FAB); 

• Sustainable Aviation;

• Sustainable Urbanisation;

• Biotechnologies for Health and Environment; and

• Surface Transport.