New Zealand-China joint research programs unveiled

New Zealand officials Friday outlined three new government-funded research projects to be jointly conducted with Chinese researchers.

The new joint Strategic Research Alliance projects in food safety and security, water research and non-communicable diseases were part of the memorandum of understanding signed by leaders of the two countries this week.

The memorandum also confirmed the continuation of bilateral funding for two more years, said a statement from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

The first project would see the New Zealand government's Plant and Food Research institute and the Sichuan Provincial Academy of Natural Resource Sciences work on integrating the kiwifruit industry and security technology.

The development of easy-to-use and highly sensitive devices for the detection of organic contaminants in waterways was being led by Victoria University of Wellington and Huaqiao University.

And a University of Auckland team would work with researchers at Sichuan University to test ways to treat acute pancreatitis, a common and potentially fatal illness in both countries, which would include trialling an oral preparation of Chinese herbs shown to be beneficial for protecting the gut.

The New Zealand teams would receive government funding of 1 million NZ dollars (688,700 U.S. dollars) in total over three years from the MBIE, with China's Ministry of Science and Technology providing equivalent funding for its researchers.

The Strategic Research Alliance was designed, along with the New Zealand-China Scientist Exchange Program and New Zealand-China Research Collaboration Centres, to encourage long-term scientific engagements between New Zealand and China scientists and research teams. Endit