SHANGHAI, April 13 — A high-level delegation from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), led by its President, Dr. María Eloísa del Pino Matute, visited the CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS) in Shanghai. The delegation included Dr. Francisco Javier Moreno Fuentes, CSIC Vice President for International Affairs; Dr. Isabel María Martínez Sierra, Director of the Presidency Cabinet; and H. E. Luis Antonio Calvo Castaño, Consul General of Spain in Shanghai.

They were received by Prof. Bin Han, Director of CEMPS and CAS Academician; Prof. Yu Zhang, Deputy Director; and CEMPS principal investigators Prof. Alberto Macho, Prof. Jeremy Murray, Prof. Chanhong Kim, Prof. Xiufang Xin, and Prof. Dapeng Li.

During the meeting, Prof. Yu Zhang outlined the CEMPS’ history, research achievements, and international partnerships, with a focus on the CEPEI, a joint center established together with the CBGP, a CSIC-affiliated institute in Spain. Prof. Alberto Macho, a Spanish scientist working at CAS, shared his personal experience in building a research career in China and promoting scientific cooperation between China and Spain. Both presentations highlighted the role of CEPEI in facilitating researcher exchanges and joint China-Spain projects. Vice President Dr. Francisco Javier Moreno Fuentes introduced CSIC’s scientific vision, institutional structure, key research outputs, and its international funding programs. He also welcomed Chinese scientists to apply for CSIC’s collaborative grants. Both sides expressed a strong commitment to deepening China-Spain research cooperation, laying the groundwork for broader and more substantive collaboration in plant science and beyond.

After the meeting, the delegation toured several CEMPS laboratories and visited the CEMPS greenhouse facilities.