by Xu Haijing, Zhao Bo
CANBERRA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Professor Ian Frazer, the co-inventor of the technology enabling the HPV (Human papilloma virus) vaccines against cervical cancer, has been involved in the collaboration with his Chinese counterparts for decades.
Those collaborations are expected to see a boost with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this week in Brisbane under which Queensland government and China's Ministry of Science and Technology agreed to establish the Queensland-Torch Health and Medical Precinct.
"The aim of the precinct is to attract direct investment into health and medical research in Queensland, strengthen research collaboration globally," Queensland government Health Minister Steve Miles said at the signing ceremony held in Queensland Parliament House on April 3.
The Queensland Department of Health, Department of Environment and Science and the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center (Torch) of the China's Ministry of Science and Technology have committed to investing in the Precinct, the first Torch precinct outside China focusing on health and medical research.
"We have some of the best researchers in the world right here in Queensland, identifying ways to improve clinical practice for the benefit of Queenslanders," said Miles.
"Taking Queensland's research expertise to the world stage is a key theme of Queensland Advancing Health Research 2026, to drive economic growth and create jobs in the health innovation sector."
Professor Frazer at the University of Queensland is among the world's top researchers in health and medical research. He told Xinhua that he has been aware that China is growing a culture for innovation and research now.
"When I went to Wenzhou Medical College, there are many people who are just starting to do the innovative medical research and take it to the hospitals to see whether it works. That's what we have been doing well in Australia for over 100 years.
"It will take a while (for it) to be strong in China as it is to be here, that's why collaboration between China and Australia is productive, because China has one set of skills and we have another. We get together, we do things together and we actually both get there faster," said Frazer.
The aim of the Torch Precinct in Brisbane is to get together the biomedical research with the strength industries from both countries, particularly the technologies that drive the progress in biomedical science.
Rui Guozhong, Secretary-General of China Biopharma Park Industrial Cluster Collaborative Innovation Alliance, said the Torch Precinct in Queensland is expected to provide a new platform and offer a new model for stronger cooperation and collaboration in health, medical research and pharmaceutical production.
China is looking forward to utilizing this platform to move its own biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries to the world stage.
Rui came as a member of the Torch delegation, who also attended a health innovation seminar and toured innovation hot-spots in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns.
Leeanne Enoch, Queensland Minister for Environment and Science, said the state had established strong strategic relationship with China more than a decade ago.
"Both Queensland and China value the role science and innovation can play in helping us find solutions to some of the world's biggest social and environment challenges, including the impact of our aging populations, climate change and loss of biodiversity," she said.
"Our scientific collaborations with China are driving advances in agriculture and food, health and medical research, clean and renewable energy technology, and in advanced materials such as nano-technology and digital-enabled technologies."
She said the Torch Precinct project will further cement Queensland's relationship with China on science and innovation.
Torch was established in 1988 and is a successful government led entrepreneurial program which helps to kick-start Chinese high-tech innovation and start-ups, and has become China's engine room of innovation and economic growth.
